Differing views of Dogs’ 2010 prospects
Will Dogs be better this season than in 2009? (University of Georgia)
Most UGA fans I’ve talked with are expecting at least marginal improvement for Mark Richt’s Dogs in 2010.
Yes, Georgia will be breaking in an inexperienced quarterback (whoever it is) and rebuilding its defense with a new scheme. But the Dogs also will have a veteran offensive line, they’ve finally figured out who their running backs should be, and there’s an awful lot of young talent for new defensive coordinator Todd Grantham to work with. Plus the schedule looks a whole lot more advantageous for the Dogs.
Not everyone sees it that way, though.
In addition to predicting that 2010 will be Les Miles’ last season at LSU, Clay Travis of NCAA Football Fanhouse thinks “Georgia’s continuing decline will be the story of the SEC east in 2010.” Travis predicts another 7-5 regular season for UGA, saying “The Bulldogs are taking on water and they can’t bail out fast enough. Both the offense and defense will be weaker. And even in a weakened SEC east, the Bulldogs will be in trouble.”
Whoa. Look, I’m not saying Georgia will win the SEC East this year, but that sounds way too dismissive of the talent assembled in Athens. What do you think?
BULLDOG BITES
The Red and Black has a good overview of the 3-4 defensive scheme, including why Grantham thinks it matches up better with the spread and option offenses Georgia is increasingly facing, and how it differs in personnel from the 4-3 the Dogs had been using. … SI.com reports Georgia’s Geno Atkins “elevated his game on the first day of Senior Bowl practice. Atkins was explosive and unstoppable for most of the afternoon session. He was constantly getting penetration behind the line of scrimmage and regularly beating bigger, stronger opponents.” … A lot of buzz about that quote in Chip Towers’ blog on recruit Nikell Robey where Frostproof High School athletics director Charles Loveless says of other schools going after the UGA-committed player: “He’s planning to visit Southern Cal next week. Monte Kiffin has been very persistent. He’s probably been in here more than is legal. Of course they don’t pay attention to the rules.” You’ve got to figure someone has forwarded that to the folks at the NCAA. … UGA’s sports information department points out that with ex-Bulldogs Tim Jennings (Indianapolis Colts) and Jon Stinchcomb and Charles Grant (New Orleans) on teams reaching this year’s Super Bowl, Georgia now has had at least one representative in the Super Bowl for nine straight seasons. That is the longest streak for former Dogs in the Super Bowl, breaking the tie of eight straight in 1985-92 and 1971-78. … Because of President Obama’s State of the Union address, the radio coverage of Wednesday night’s Georgia-Florida basketball game will be split between WSB-AM (pregame and first half) and sister station WSRV FM 97.1/The River (second half) so that WSB can carry the speech. All other affiliates of the Georgia Bulldog Radio Network will carry the game as usual. … Improved play definitely sells tickets when it comes to Georgia basketball, so it’s not surprising that nonstudent tickets for the men’s game against No. 1-ranked Kentucky on March 3 are now sold out. Reserved-seat tickets ($15) are still available for all the other home games. If you’d still like to catch the Trey Thompkins, Travis Leslie and Co. in Athens and haven’t bought tickets yet, a good deal is the SEC Mini-Plan, which offers a reserved seat for the Arkansas, Vanderbilt, South Carolina and Alabama games for $50 and also includes a $10 gift card for Raising Cane’s chicken. … So if you don’t follow college gymnastics and can’t understand how the Gym Dogs moved up two spots to No. 8 in the latest national rankings despite losing two straight matches, well, it’s basically because Georgia posted its highest point total of the season in its latest loss at Utah. The Gym Dogs had season highs in all four events and their overall average of 195.717 puts them in eighth place. My brother Jon, who follows college gymnastics, explains it is a “crazy system” where “nothing matters until the Regional Qualifying Score starts after so many meets. All that counts is being in the top 36 at the end of the season so that you will go to a Regional.” And if you do well enough there, you go to the Nationals. This is indeed a sport where the regular season takes a back seat to the postseason tournaments.
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191 comments Add your comment
Bremen Dawg
January 26th, 2010
1:17 pm
Run the ball 70-80% of the time for the first 3-4 games of the year to let the QB get a feel for the offense and the speed of the game. Defense will be improved in just one year but will need 2-3 years to become one of the best in the nation again.
Buck Belue
January 26th, 2010
1:22 pm
We will pay for letting a proven leader in Willie Martinez go. I told you all throughout the year that he is doing great work. I will all let you know on my radio show today.
Ozzy
January 26th, 2010
1:23 pm
National Championship baby!!
Wooohooooo!!!!
Herscel Walker
January 26th, 2010
1:26 pm
Buck Belue,
I made you look like a good QB, you had the arm strength of an average Joe and the receivers were open all the time because they thought I was fixin to bust one up the middle.
Preston
January 26th, 2010
1:29 pm
Clay Travis is an idiot! LMAO! What kind of goon (other than a rival’s fan) would predict something so assanine? This guy doesn’t read the news or pay attention to recruiting. I kind of like this though. I like it when people disrespect us because we respond by kicking their asses. What a fool!
Saint Simons Caddy
January 26th, 2010
1:30 pm
Clay Travis is a Jack Ass. Need i say more……….Labor Day can’t come soon enough.
Preston
January 26th, 2010
1:33 pm
Just a thought. Isn’t it funny how Tubberville was defending CWM but he didn’t hire him at TT? Maybe he was trying to help him keep his job here to sabotage us so he could take CMR’s job from him. Hmmm.
AndyC
January 26th, 2010
1:33 pm
I think the 2010 season will depend heavily on the play of our young QB. I think the running game will be solid and if nothing else the defense will play with more purpose than it did this past season. The schedule is indeed favorable so I think 7-5 is a little pessimistic.
Looking objectively
January 26th, 2010
1:35 pm
Can Georgia win the SEC East…….maybe.
Florida: Replacing their best QB ever, 3 of 5 Olineman, their Defensive Coordinator, and most of thier defense. Their head coach has also been flaky at best this offseason. Still, I’d say they are the favorite until somebody beats them in the East. They have talent galore.
Georgia: Replacing their quarterback……, though not a real impact player. Otherwise they’ve good talent and depth at RB, WR, & TE. The offensive line returns intact and UGA has the best 2nd string OL in the SEC. Both kickers were finalists/winners of their position’s highest honor. The defense returns 5 starters, and 7 players who contributed meaningful minutes. If Grantham is better than average, the defense should be dramatically improved. If UGA doesn’t compete for the East Richt needs to move on, especially given Florida’s situation AND the fact that Georgia has brought in a top ten class every year since the Reagan Administration.
Kentucky is replacing their head coach and a number of impact players
UT is replacing their head coach, thier QB (be he Joe Cox like), the best Safty in the country, and several starters.
South Carolina looked to be moving in the right direction, until they got shelled by Connecticut.
Vanderbilt….they’ll be competitive, but they aren’t winning the East.
Clay Travis
January 26th, 2010
1:39 pm
I was WRONG! I’m sorry, UGA will go 13-0 and win the NC. Go Dogs!
Oracle
January 26th, 2010
1:45 pm
Bill, don’t forget to let Clay and Chip know what time the turnip truck will be by today to pick them up – otherwise they’ll never find their way home.
The Truth
January 26th, 2010
1:54 pm
“Florida: Replacing their best QB ever, 3 of 5 O linemen and their Defensive Coordinator, and most of their defense. Their head coach has also been flaky at best this offseason.”
Gators couldn’t ask for a better QB to replace the great Tim Tebow and they are replacing 1 of 5 O Linemen. The D will be plenty of good and about the offseason, it hasn’t even been a month since their last game yet.
Hootie Bookems
January 26th, 2010
2:00 pm
Clay Travis is good, but he doesn’t take the emotion out of his writing/predictions. As a UT fan he often predicts with his heart, not his head. Orson over at EDSBS is probably the best blogger with an SEC centric view point.
hop
January 26th, 2010
2:07 pm
schedule more friendly and qb got to be better than cox,but dawgs need to finish strong with recruiting. we need to also sign rogers and not allow ut to sign him.
flagboy?
January 26th, 2010
2:13 pm
Offensively, we’re solid everywhere except the most important position on the field. . . .so, that’s a wash. . If Murray is good, we’ve got a shot to be good. . .
Defense. . . . I think Grantham is a good hire, but i still question if we have the talent on that side of the ball. Boykin could be good, Rambo could be good, Justin H, will be good/great. . .but we have very little in the LB positions from what i’ve seen coming back.
I don’t think 7-5 would be a total surprise. . .of course, i’d rather not see it, but the possibility is certainly there.
ga gator
January 26th, 2010
2:25 pm
Did I read somewhere that UGA looses 11 seniors after the 2010 season?
Dawghater
January 26th, 2010
2:29 pm
Puppy Dawg Facts
- Every year more & more bravado about UGA’s recruiting class ranking! Tell us puppies what was TCU’s, Boise State’s or even Kentucky’s 2009 rankings!
- All the joy about Grantham. The 4th choice no less for the job. Grantham was fired from his last D Coordinator job in the NFL. Then “flagboy” covers Grantham’s butt by saying it’s the talent on the field? Hum, bet Willie Martinez thought the same thing!
- Finally, UGA fans think they should compete for a Nat’l Championship every year. Really, because the last one was 30 years ago. Before any of your current players were even born. Funny thing, a number of the players on the Nat’l Championship squad are stilling trying to GRAD U ATE from UGA!
Hey Dogtards
January 26th, 2010
2:35 pm
Hey L-Dawg, what do uga and Tech fans have in common? They both obsess about THEM JACKETS. Whatever happened to just cheering for your own team and not rooting against others? Lol, hypocrite.
“Vanderbilt, South Carolina and Alabama games for $50 and also includes a $10 gift card for Raising Cane’s chicken”
I see uga has opted for something similar to the GT free hot dog promotion from the 80s. I guess you gotta figure some way to sell tickets when you don’t have the travelling fans of UT or UK to help you out.
indianman
January 26th, 2010
2:35 pm
clay is stuiped
indianman
January 26th, 2010
2:37 pm
i see ga going 11 and 2 wish a sec title
Sting em
January 26th, 2010
2:43 pm
I predict UGA to go 10-2! They will lose to the Jackets and Gators!
ga gator
January 26th, 2010
2:46 pm
Sting em, I think some of the venom has absorbed into your brain. NO WAY UGA loses to Tech.
Looking objectively
January 26th, 2010
2:55 pm
Truth……My understanding was that the Pouncy twins were declaring for the draft? Not so? My bad if that’s the case.
Hater…….try not to be such a knuckledragger.
Georgia is always going to bring in top talent, it’s a top 20 public university in the fourth most talent rich state in the country. Georgia lacks but quality coaching and leadership from winning the SEC every 2-4 years instead of every 7-8 years historically. Grantham is the most qualified coach UGA offered, save Bud Foster. The fact that they were foolish in the hiring order and the way that it was handled speaks to poor leadership.
There is no “National Championship” in college football, UGA didn’t win one thirty years ago, because no D1A team has EVER won one. They don’t exist. The NCAA neither awards nor recognizes a champion. Hence you won’t find their trophy….the wood plaque with the gold ensignia in Austin or Tuscaloosa, or Auburn, or South Bend, or Ann Arbor, or Columbus OH, etc, at least not for football. What we do have is a glorified pageant winner where nobody faces the same criteria to become it’s “champion” and you may or may not get the best team in the nation as the pageant winner. So using this “National Champion” milarky to mark milestones is as relevant as a Super Bowl trophy awarded by Chrystler and not the NFL Offices. SEC Championships, however, are real, they are won on the field, all teams face the same criteria, and the trophy is awarded and sanctioned by it’s governing body….the offices of the SEC.
PTC DAWG
January 26th, 2010
3:02 pm
Life is TOO short to worry about it…I’m looking forward to a nice spring a long hot summer by the Pool/Ocean….
ga gator
January 26th, 2010
3:06 pm
Good post; even Urban Meyer has lobbied for some form of playoff system. What we have is not perfect but even if we had a 16 team playoff, team #17 would complain. It’s pretty safe to say if an SEC team wins it’s division and then the Championship game they should be considered for a spot in the BCS game. I think UGA missing out in 2002 and Auburn getting hosed in 2004 really woke some of the National people up. I wish they would at least have a + 1 game.
chemdawg
January 26th, 2010
3:10 pm
Bill King: Were the Red & Black reporters in the room when Mark Bradley was interviewing Grantham or were these interviews conducted separately? I ask because those answers seem like essentially the same responses that were published in Bradley’s interview.
Bill E. Goat
January 26th, 2010
3:14 pm
Florida loses only one Offensive Lineman from their 2 deep OL. Only one of the Pouncey Twins declared for the draft.
Overall UF loses 11 starters and UGA loses 8. Both will have new coordinators.
Florida still has more talent than UGA.
Urban will coach circles around Richt per usual.
gdawginkalamazoo
January 26th, 2010
3:16 pm
Who is Travis Clay anyway? Obviously a UGA hater. We just went through our worst year yet under Richt and still managed to win 8 games. Hugh problems on defense that Richt addressed. Sure we will be getting a new QB but he will actually have to perform to keep his postion. Does this Clay guy even follow football or is he a casual fan with a blog?
CvilleDawg.
January 26th, 2010
3:17 pm
Can we please compare georgia to alabama this year I mean were kind of in the same shoes as them as of defensive losses and the way we started running the ball over and over again and we got so much better thats all we need to do with this veteran o-line because im telling you now no one will be able to stop munzenmaier, ealey, & king flying up through the middle and then we have vertical threats all over the place in aj green, marlon brown, tavarres king, rantavious wooten and da’rick rogers, I would prefer mobility and accuracy over a big arm everyday just because stafford wasnt all that good in college and we all know that but anyways look how good bama done with an average qb in mcelroy they won the freaking national championship!
CvilleDawg.
January 26th, 2010
3:20 pm
But any quarterback that gets the starting job will have my support!
War Jacket
January 26th, 2010
3:33 pm
No championships in college football? What rock do you live under? Merely a feeble attempt to rationalize the fact that UGA only has one in over 100 years of playing college football – in spite of all of those great recruits.
poopdawg
January 26th, 2010
3:37 pm
Bill E. Goat but Florida is Teboboboboboless.
gtfanfrom1951
January 26th, 2010
3:39 pm
UGA Fans DON’T DRINK THE KOOL AID AND WATCH OUT MISS. STATE. I’M GLAD WE STOP PLAYING THEM JUST WHEN THEY ARE GETTING BETTER!!!
ga gator
January 26th, 2010
3:41 pm
poopdawg, I still think what we have coming back (plus reserves from last year) is better than what everyone else in the east has, atlthough UGA will close the gap this year considerably in a wild one in Jax. Until someone else knocks them off, they are the team to beat.
GeoffDawg
January 26th, 2010
3:47 pm
War Jacket – my black lab is more rational than you. And he chases squirrels.
DawginLex
January 26th, 2010
3:51 pm
dawghater,
You can kiss my white a$$.
No one cares what a tool like you believes or thinks. go to the nerd herd blog and talk about your date with your blow up doll and how that went.
gdawginkalamazoo
January 26th, 2010
4:07 pm
ga gator, you didn’t mention all those beast you guys picked up athe Army all star game. Those kids could start tomorrow, or the next day at the latest. Yes you guys are stilled stocked. Wonder if Meyer will be back on the sidelines? He had “family” issues to address.
ga gator
January 26th, 2010
4:18 pm
gdawginkalamazoo, It’s nice to have all those kids come in and 11 are already enrolled so they must have decent grades. But, they still have to gel and find their spots which usually is on Special Teams. The kid that excites Gators the most is the Dubose kid who was redshirted last year with a bad hammy. Everyone compares him to Percy.
Will
January 26th, 2010
4:27 pm
10 of 11 offensive starters back – splendid groups of red shirts – best assistant coach hire in the nation – easier schedule – 10-11 wins – no excuses, no retreat, NO SECOND OR THIRD tier bowl acceptable – be great or be gone !!!
Old Dawg
January 26th, 2010
4:30 pm
With the talent on the O line, tight ends, running backs and wide receivers, UGA should be able to hold its own for the majority of the season. The OL should allow the new starter time to settle in and get comfortable, especially with play action passing. Obvious passing downs will present bigger problems, but that’s the case for a lot of QBs.
The kicking game should continue to be solid with both punting and place-kicking stronger than the majority of teams in the country. With Butler’s ability to place punts inside the opponents’ 20, UGA should be able to win the battle for field position.
The 3-4 is a bear for any quarterback to work against and college QBs will have trouble adjusting to the scheme with only one week to prepare. Granted, UGA’s players are inexperienced in the scheme and there will be a learning curve. That said, the changes in attitude and talent available should make for a pretty dynamic, but not totally dominating, unit.
Turnovers. Eliminate them on offense and get them on defense. The new 3-4 scheme is taylor-made to generate TOs.
All that being said, I see 8 to 9 regular season wins. And another bowl victory.
ga gator
January 26th, 2010
4:41 pm
Old Dawg, Good analogy; I predicting 10-3 including win in Outback and maybe even 11-2. I just hope some of these fans that are predicting and SEC East title will be patient if that doesn’t happen because even with all those starters on offense you will still be young. 2011 you should be scary good.
chazzo
January 26th, 2010
4:44 pm
Willing to bet Clay Travis is a fan of a rival SEC school. He just wants to send out flack to try to aid picking off recruits. UGA has the best receiver in the land and a host of fellow receivers and tight ends to accompany. Then, there’s an established running game. Speed Speed Speed on both sides of the ball. I would say the dawgs are to be rckoned with, but let ‘em think we suck.
If anyone in the east is bailing water in the east, it’s the Gators. They’ve lost a great O-coordinator and a great d-coordinator in back to back seasons. Tebow is dealing with his fate in the NFL. And, Urban is freaking the f— out. They’ll always have awsome athletes, but this year ol’ Urban’s gonna earn his living.
raleigh
January 26th, 2010
4:49 pm
undefeated national champs
ga gator
January 26th, 2010
4:50 pm
chazzo, UGA never sucks, and neither do the gators. Urban has earned his living everyear and although I don’t think they will win the SEC, reloading for them is not as bad as most. Truth is most Head Coaches wish they had good enough staffs to be raided each year. If Grantham is as good as fans tout him he will be gone to a top program as a HC before the 3 years.
BigDawg
January 26th, 2010
5:00 pm
L-Dawg…if we only win 9 games…I for one will not be happy!!! We have a much easier schedule and the argument for lack of success the year we were pegged to win it all was that we did not have offensive line depth. Well that certainly will not be the case next year. We return everyone on offense of note! Richt has made his livelihood working with QB’s so I expect solid if not great play at this position out of those 5 star QB’s that have been waiting in the dawghouse.
Tennessee is in shambles. Florida is in disarray and is certainly losing far more talent to the NFL than we are. I do not know of a single Dawg fan that expects us to lose to the likes of South Carolina, Vandy or Kentucky. We do not play either LSU or Bama!!! We play a horrid Colorado team instead of Oklahoma State. We play a Tech team missing 5 huge starters. There is absolutely no reason for us not to win 9 games. I really expect at least 10 wins realistically. Nobody other than Florida has anywhere near the talent level and depth we have thanks to years of top 10 recruiting classes. All we need is for the coaches to perform as a top 25 coaching staff for us to be successful. If we don’t….then changes need to be made.
chazzo
January 26th, 2010
5:00 pm
ga gator,
Just having fun with the FL statements. Don’t take it seriously. Urban is a great coach (even if he is a little whiney). LOL
The SEC rules. As for the dawgs, I am not too worried. QB is a question mark. Much will depend on the off season. If these guys can maintain discipline and commit, it should be great to be a Georgia Bulldog in 2010.
FL Dawg
January 26th, 2010
5:07 pm
Bullentin Board Material. That is all it is…
jerry
January 26th, 2010
5:21 pm
11-1. Book it.
calhoun dawg
January 26th, 2010
5:25 pm
Da rick Rogers switching to Vols..from his own mouth..
F-105 Thunderchief
January 26th, 2010
6:00 pm
Clay Travis is stupid beyond belief.