Is confidence high again in the Bulldog Nation?
The Dogs' running game should be a big plus, thanks in part to Washaun Ealey. (Brant Sanderlin / AJC)
It’s been an up and down spring for Georgia football fans.
On the one hand, we’ve gotten excited about the rebuilding project Todd Grantham has undertaken with the defense. Sure, it likely will take more than one season to get the Dogs back to Junkyard status, but the fact that basic fundamentals like footwork, tackling and ball awareness are being taught at the Woodruff Practice Fields again fills a lot of us with hope.
And, yes, the new 3-4 scheme will have its kinks early on and the Dogs look a little thin at some positions, particularly outside linebacker. There’ll be a mostly new secondary, too. But the talent there is exciting, and Georgia looks to be putting a lot of pressure on opposing quarterbacks with Grantham’s scheme. Now if the Dogs can just get some take-aways!
On offense, there’s been the big question mark about quarterback, but concern over that has been tempered somewhat by the fact that Mike Bobo has 10 starters back this season. The veteran offensive line, barring a rash of injuries, will be a strength. That and a revived running game with Washaun Ealey and Caleb King should keep the new QB from having to try to do too much too soon. There’s not a lot of depth behind A.J. Green, but Georgia is absolutely loaded at tight end, a position that looks to become a game-changer for the Dogs this season.
Still, any spring that sees Mark Richt having to kick three players off the team has to be considered troubled. And the fact that one of the players dismissed was a very promising quarterback makes it even worse.
Yes, Aaron Murray apparently would have graded out above Zach Mettenberger overall despite a subpar G-Day game, and the odds were Murray was going to be the starter no matter what. But a lot of us would have felt much more comfortable knowing we had that big kid with the NFL arm standing on the sideline ready to come in if need be.
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245 comments Add your comment
Georgia has a cupcake schedule
April 24th, 2010
6:37 pm
5 losses or more for the leghumpers in 2010 bank on it losers!
FORTY ONE POINTS to your seventeen points
April 24th, 2010
6:56 pm
Confident? LMAO!
(((((((((((((((((((((((41-17))))))))))))))))))))))
7 out of 9
17 out of 20
Confident.
The Real SugarHillDawg
April 24th, 2010
7:06 pm
My confidence ain’t good. Murray HAS to make the throws when there is 8 guys in the box.
Reality
April 24th, 2010
7:09 pm
“A confident bulldawg nation.”
That title is tooo funny. It should be: “An overconfident bulldawg nation.” I don’t know of any group of fans in any sport anywhere that is so full of themselves and with such a large ego. They each fully believe in that not only is their conference is superior, but that uga has a shot in h@ll that they could possible go to the conference championship game much less a BCS bowl.
And, in a transparent attempt to make themselves feel better, they can only bark like idiots and bad mouth other teams, both inside their conference and outside their conference.
Forget about how their recruiting classes are always ranked in the 10 ten or so but their teams RARELY finish in the top 10.
Forget about how their players REGULARLY find themselves in jail or in some trouble with the law.
Foeget about how they keep inbreeding that poor mascot such that the pitiful thing cannot live more than a few years. Where’s PITA when they are needed?
Ah, yes. THAT is what makes UGAg great.
Hello BuLLdaug
April 24th, 2010
7:21 pm
Funny as usual—you dogs still barking about the ref…does that barking make you feel better? It surely does not change the “L”.
?
April 24th, 2010
7:33 pm
George-Tn has our# yet we are 6-4 in the last 10 played. how is that possible with a 6-4 split. Freak.
K
April 24th, 2010
7:40 pm
All of you people talking smack about UGA are nuts. You all give the same excuses when your team loses. Who are you kidding.
Reality
April 24th, 2010
7:51 pm
@K -
You are wrong. No other group of fans at all anywhere is like you guys from uga. I guess it is hard from you to see from the inside looking out.
Even Jets fans, well known to be outrageous, have some sense of reality knowing when their team stinks or not. Yeah, they will still cheer for them, but they do NOT heckle the other team/fnas and do anything near to insane like barking.
Dawgman566
April 24th, 2010
7:59 pm
It won’t be hard to top last year. The season started with a disappointing game in Stillwater and continued thru the losses to TN and KY. If 2010 is worst than 2009 then the Dawg Nation will be howling for sure.
Dumbo
April 24th, 2010
8:10 pm
Sure hope a lot of kids grow-up or else I’m gonna be in pure hell come Sept 11….only member of family that didn’t go to Rooster U and I gonna be right slap in the middle of a crowd of drunk fried chickens….they said if UGA loses I’m gonna get nutured…again.
Same Ol'Ol
April 24th, 2010
8:20 pm
Enter your comments here
Same OL Same OL
April 24th, 2010
8:24 pm
Is confidence high? Did you really ask that ? When has confidence NOT been high ? The Dawgs think they’ll win the MNC EVERY year. And you’re asking is confidence high ?????!!!!!????
THOSE GAMES MEANT NOTHING TO PAUL JOHNSON
April 24th, 2010
8:42 pm
i don’t know how we will ever beat tech ! ? lmfao…tell your boy johnson to wear a helmet in Athens come November…Flagboy nation …see ya soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bill Bates
April 24th, 2010
8:53 pm
If Herschel finally comes back for his senior year next year, UGA definitely wins NC. He’s not quite as fast as he once was, but I’m sure he can still run over people (or body slam ‘em).
chazzo
April 24th, 2010
9:03 pm
If it hasn’t been said already: Dan we are nowhere near the mid-2000s. Just puzzled here.
Camden Mark
April 24th, 2010
9:03 pm
No “bad” losing efforts and a 10-2 season would be nice.Your going to lose games,just don’t look like a bunch of lost poorly coached guys standing around wondering what the hells going on,like we have the last couple of years.
SOUTHGADAWG88
April 24th, 2010
9:07 pm
Recruit better players and you win more games.It’s the Jimmies and the Joe’s not the X’s and O’s.
bruce mac
April 24th, 2010
9:14 pm
10 and 2 but we better quit turning the ball over and getting penalties out the wazoo. Dawgs were lucky to be 8 and 5 last year.
UGADAWGZ
April 24th, 2010
9:20 pm
Reality – You couldn’t be more blind, if you actually believe that we are bad fans for being confident in our team and that other team’s fans don’t heckle the fans of teams they play against. You are completely stupid
UGADAWGZ
April 24th, 2010
9:21 pm
Also, For all the awesome dawg fans, if we can beat south carolina we should be able to figure out the rest of the schedule
Dawg'em out!
April 24th, 2010
10:58 pm
again ppl before you start saying the dawgs finish this or that wait till atleast the second game is played. i understand being positive. this is the sec and even though its a softer schedule this yr. its a rebuilt team, with new direction. looks like the sec east is open for the taking, IF georgia comes out swinging and can take the first 3 games. good start will be crucial for the confidence in this team, and could have a big impact on how the rest of the season pans out.
yes
April 25th, 2010
1:19 am
Yes
Dawg Tired
April 25th, 2010
1:32 am
Who the hell is George and what is he doing on this blog? Look, if all you can do is go to another team’s blog and bad mouth that team, you are basically admitting that team is more relevant than your own team. Nobody goes on the University of New Mexico blogs and bad mouths them. Why? Because they are in fact irrelevant. Go some place else with all that hate. You obviously hate us because we are not irrelevant. Get over it. We will always be relevant. Get used to it.
Dawg Tired
April 25th, 2010
1:35 am
BD _ Get over it man! UGA won the national championship in 1980 whether you like it or not. That’s not even debatable. I think it is about time for you to get over a 30 year disappointment in your apparently pitiful existence.
Dawg Tired
April 25th, 2010
1:40 am
Reality – Go comment on your own blog. Spread that ignorance some place else where what you think means something. While you’re at it, try to get a life that includes something other than hating Georgia. Suggestion: Try commenting on a blog where you actually like the team which is the subject of that blog. Doesn’t that seem to make more sense?
Dawg Tired
April 25th, 2010
1:41 am
This is too easy!
BD
April 25th, 2010
2:05 am
Thanks for reminding me that it was 30 years ago, Dawg Tired. I forgot that since then, Clemson, Miami, LSU, FSU, GT, Tennessee, Alabama, and Florida are all southern teams that have won National Championships since the cesspool were last significant.
Dawg Details
April 25th, 2010
7:10 am
Dawgs have a long memory—all these dawg bashers will be eating big time crow when UGA wins the SEC East!! I’ve heard that Grantham’s 3-4 D will be the best in the SEC and with UGA’s RBs and Oline, the offense will control the clock. The Dawgs will beat Florida–you heard it here first!
Spike
April 25th, 2010
7:13 am
Just beat the damn Gators.
High confidence
April 25th, 2010
7:39 am
Heck yeah!!!
This off season, we are leading the nation in run ins with the law.
We are back!!!!
Kiffin gave us a run for our money, but CMR has proven he is without equal in the SEC when it comes to recruiting athletes with questionable character.
Go dawgs and GATGA
TaxDawg
April 25th, 2010
7:48 am
One reason to be very optimistic, we have our easiest schedule in years.
Name one team on our schedule, besides UF and Tech, that is above average? Not a one.
If we can finally get by UF, who is also breaking in a new QB. The East is ours and we are heading back to ATL!!!
I’m a little worried about USC catching us that early in the season, but other than that we play a bunch of bad teams this year. It is 2005 all over again!!!!
Deflated Giant Bee (still funny after all these years)
April 25th, 2010
8:14 am
I rarely post anymore since 98.6% of the posters here are idiots. Dawgs have an easier schedule, a very good running game and ol to ease the transition for a new qb and new D (for you tech fans, rememberin last years game when UGA ran every single play and chewed up the clock so your O couldn’t get on the field?)
to UF fans, can you name your last 3 DCs? Should be easy since they all were DCs in 2010. And now that Timmy is gone, and Urban is sick, who is your team leader?
UT fans, new qb, very weak OL and lost the best player in the SEC the last 3 years in Berry, new coach and can you name a wr besides da’rick?
Everyone has questions. It’s why we all hate preseason rankings and guesses. But I’ll take UGA’s situation and questions over Tech’s, UT’s, And UF’s this season.
Dawg Fan
April 25th, 2010
8:25 am
Looking forward to see what the new QB & revamped D will do.
Go Dawgs!
Rip Van Winkle
April 25th, 2010
8:55 am
Of course there is confidence in Athens where they have been in a 1980 time warp; come on! Deflated, UF didn’t have Urban and Timmy when Zook was HC and they owned the humpers then didn’t they?
The Tax Man
April 25th, 2010
8:58 am
Tax dog, Brantley was widely regarded as the 5th best QB in the conference last year so I woundnt exactly say he is being broken in. You guys make me roll over laughing. Who told the idiot above that I was fired by cleveland Grantham’s 3-4 was going to be the best in the east, another dog? This is just too funny.
Cuz
April 25th, 2010
9:33 am
Why does it have to be so long till fall?
savannadawg
April 25th, 2010
9:41 am
All depends on the D. Not deep enough yet! Got to get deeper with young players that can help out immediatly. If that happens we will have a fghting chance. I know one thing, I am surely going to want to see Ogletrees fist hit. That ought to be something of a statement.
Delusional Dawg
April 25th, 2010
9:51 am
The Dawgs are gonna beat Florida…the Dawgs are gonna win the East…Blah Blah Blah…every year, the same old bluster but the same old results…3 out of 20 but more importantly 2 out of 9 under Richt…folks that is not a winning percentage…optimism is great but there comes a time when reality has to set in…a new QB, a new Defensive system…even though schedule this year doesn’t include either Bama or LSU still…tuff games at S.C., at Auburn, Florida in Jax, Arky at home, Miss State away, Colorado away…You can easily see 4 loses there…can you say 8-4…which would be ok but not great….
Pago Flyer
April 25th, 2010
9:52 am
I think we’re looking at another pre-season # 1 ranking.
tim
April 25th, 2010
9:54 am
you sorry, sorry puppies….you couldn’t beat Florida with a tank and the 3rd Marine Division
The Tax Man
April 25th, 2010
9:57 am
UGA losses: Arkansas, South Carolina, Kentucky, Miss. St., Florida and Auburn. Not a good year. Richt fired at end of season and Boise States Chris Peterson is hired as UGA coach.
GoGators!
April 25th, 2010
10:24 am
Hmmmmm, no QB again, worst recruiting class in years, RB’s still look questionable, brand new DC, numerous off season issues, likely starting QB dismissed & OL still hasn’t really stepped up. Yep, all this adds up to an SEC and possible NC to the Bulldog faithful.
BullDawgMike
April 25th, 2010
11:16 am
Not too excited to see another QB that will have problems throwing ball over head of Def Linemen. ( one pass knocked down another deflected) in G-Day game. Maybe I just don’t get it, but I love the big QB’S. Mett sure let down the Dawg Nation that’s for sure. But I’m 100% behind Aaron, I just hope he proves me wrong.
BullDawgMike
April 25th, 2010
11:21 am
Hey Tim, there was a time when Fla. couldn’t beat Ga. with a tank, the third marine division, or a nuclear warhead! By the way, Florida still trails in the won-loss column…
GoDOGS1
April 25th, 2010
11:26 am
GoGators!…..www.Gatorzone.com. Go check out the cirlce j there, bud. We really don’t give a dang what you think/write about us. Soooo jealous of the the class that you will never attain you have to come to a UGA blog and put down the Dogs in order to make feel better in the crappy little apartment you rent on Buford Hwy, huh? Admit it, you did not even attend UF, did you?
TommyJack
April 25th, 2010
11:59 am
Dawgs are inching deeper and deeper into the water with the current coaching staff. Die-hards just can’t see it.
tim
April 25th, 2010
11:59 am
hey bulldawgmike…..yeah, but the past 20 years have been the time..20 years mike..for all you ignorant puppies that claim this is a uga blog you’re delusional as usual..it’s an ajc blog and if UF fans were not on it to point out the puppies reality some of you losers would have uga a super bowl winner
Trouble is a brewing in Knoxville for Dooley
April 25th, 2010
12:02 pm
Any definitive word yet on the Atlanta safety thug up in Knoxville yet? He was gonna be the next big time UT safety and he got into a brawl with more thugs and Knox cops. Dumb like Montrez is dumb and that third string punter for UGA is ……….um, ah he was third string.
We will now find out what Dooley is made of. My old UT Board of Trustee pal is looking. He is the one that told me way before Blame left for the Left Coast that Blame was “not on solid ice with the Board”.
Go Dogs.
Delusions of granduer
April 25th, 2010
12:10 pm
This is definitely the most delusional fan base I’ve ever seen. I used to think the Bammers were delusional but apparently they don’t look delusional in expecting and getting another national championship.
The new title of most delusional belongs squarely with the dawgs. Not just delusional about themselves but about other programs as well.
Delusional about Brantley at Florida who has been getting prepared for a few years now and is the real deal and was the gatorade national player of the year coming out of high school.
Delusional about just how much bigger and better other programs like Bama and Florida really are compared to the dawgs.
Delusional about a freshman qb who has never played a down of sec football leading the dogs to the promised land. A kid that was beat out statistically by another freshman qb booted off the team.
Delusional about a Defensive coordinator who was the 5th choice for the job and who, in his only job as an actual coordinator with the browns he was fired for having his D ranked 30th out of 32 teams 2 years in a row.
Delusional about a running game with 2 very average running backs.
Delusional about recruiting classes that aren’t anywhere near what the Bammers and the gators are hauling in.
Delusional about your place in the sec pecking order. Georgia is 2nd tier. Never was first tier except for one 2-3 year stretch 1980-1982. Dogs were okay in 2002 and 2005 when Florida had Zook and Bama was on probation. Now? Not so much.
Delusional about Mark Ricth. The guy is 10-10 in the sec east over the last 4 years with a 2-2 record against the mildcats of all people and a loss to Vandy also. 2-7 against Florida and 1-4 against Meyer. The guy gets his tail handed to him 3 of last 4 years by a UT program that has been in decline for a few years now. Even the boy blunder whupped Richt in embarrassing and humiliating fashion. Speaking of that how many times in the last several years have the dogs not just been beaten but BLOWN OUT? A lot.
No fight in this team. BLOWN OUT several times by UT, several times by the gators, Blackout night blowout on national tv, And yet dog fans think he can get it done. Delusional. He had his window of opportunity in the early 2000s and missed it. Its over for him. End of story.
Willie BE
April 25th, 2010
12:16 pm
I wish everbody was this concerned about the commi’s in Washington!!!!!!!!!