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
Remaining Dawg
April 25th, 2010
12:23 pm
The Dawgs will be a lot better than everyone thinks. Murray’s the real deal and is better than Brantley at florida. With a decent D, the dawgs can win 10 games.
tim
April 25th, 2010
12:48 pm
Murray is not better than Brantley if he was he would have broken all of Brantley’s HS passing records you know the records for td’s etc…at least Brantley can see over his Oline at 6′3″ Brantley will also have the luxury of one of the best 3 deep Olines in the country..UF will win by 4 or 5 TD’s in Jax book it losers
Dawg Tired
April 25th, 2010
12:53 pm
Folks it is good to see how important the Dawgs are. Look at all the fans of other teams who come over here to bash us! Proof that we are still a team they are always thinking about. Their actions speak so much louder than their words of hate. Makes an old Dawg feel good.
Entertained
April 25th, 2010
1:11 pm
Dawg Tired, don’t you get it; we come on here because we laugh at everything most of your moron fans say. They are living in the past, even USF who’s football program is barely 10 years old had as many people drafted than holier than thou Mark.
SatillaDawg
April 25th, 2010
1:15 pm
Amen, Dawg Tired. Amen.
Preach on, brother.
And, GO DAWGS!
kb
April 25th, 2010
1:31 pm
Losing to Tennessee in Knoxville this year will be impossible.
Vince Dooley
April 25th, 2010
1:32 pm
Count on it kb.
SEC Observer
April 25th, 2010
2:11 pm
It must be Spring again as the usual hype from Dawg fans is here. Then fall comes and reality sets in.
Dawg fans are the most delusional in the world. It actually makes for funny reading.
BTW Delusions of granduer, good post at 12:10pm
Hey Timmy
April 25th, 2010
2:43 pm
I like Brantley, but the only reason Murray didn’t break every Florida record is that he dislocated his ankle and broke his lower leg, and missed part of the season. Also, please be advised that Murray didn’t even play in the second half of a few games. This was because Plant wasn’t concerned about individual records, but were shooting for another run at a State Championship as a team Never-the-less, both players had outstanding H.S. carriers..
jeb adams
April 25th, 2010
2:50 pm
sec title!!
Delusions of granduer
April 25th, 2010
2:59 pm
30 years and counting……. no end in sight……. at least I can watch Bama and Florida try to win at all……. life really sucks as a bulldog fan…….2-7 against my biggest rival……..1-5 against the Urban legend…….10-10 against the sec east the last 4 years……blown out 3 of last 4 against a UT program that’s had its issues……… splitting the last 4 with the hapless Kentucky mildcats……..getting beat by Vandy………starting a freshman qb this year who did poorly in scrimmages and the spring game………blackout humiliation on national tv…….losing 49-10 to Florida…….losing 41-17 to Florida……can we at least keep the game respectable against Florida?…….Losing 17 out of 20 to one team………..did I mention it sucks being a dog fan?
Sanford Drive
April 25th, 2010
3:02 pm
The people who come here regularly to taunt UGA folks have the same personalities as those psychos who bomb abortion clinics.
Try to find a constructive hobby.
Delusions of granduer
April 25th, 2010
3:04 pm
Wait a minute? I forgot! We were the 2008 preseason national champions! yee haaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!
Screw all you dawg haters. We won the 2008 preseason national championship. That’s better than the imaginary 2009 title that the Bammers won this year and better than those bogus 06 and 08 titles that the gators won. Everyone knows they were just lucky anyhow. LSU has 2 bcs titles also. Screw em. They just got lucky too. So did UT when they won one in the 90s. Bama was lucky in the 90s also to win one.
Sing it loud and sing it proud. 2008 preseason national champions!!! Boo yaaaaa! Its great to be a Georgia Bulldog! 2008 PRESEASON NATIONAL FREAKING CHAMPIONS. GO DAWGS GO!!!!
Delusions of granduer
April 25th, 2010
3:08 pm
Sanford drive,
Messin with dawg fans qualifies as a hobby. 30 years and counting…………..Still counting………..Championships since the inception of the 2 dvision format
Florida 3
Bama 2
LSU 2
UT 1
AU 0 but perfect season 2004
Georgia 1 preseason 2008 national championship.
Delusions of granduer
April 25th, 2010
3:12 pm
SEC titles since inception of 2 division format
Florida 7 appearances 10
Bama 3 appearances 7
LSU 3 appearances 4
UT 2 appearances 5
UGA 2 appearances 3
Georgia is the 5th best team in the sec. In other words 2nd tier and middle of the pack.
Sanford Drive
April 25th, 2010
3:14 pm
“Constructive” is the operative word here.
Nerds wanking off to Star Wars themed porn every night is probably considered a hobby, but it certainly wouldn’t qualify as a constructive one.
Delusions of granduer
April 25th, 2010
3:14 pm
Who goes 20 years in between SEC titles anyhow? Not Florida. Not Alabama. Not LSU. Not UT. Not AU. Only Georgia from 1982 to 2002 goes a full generation in between championships. Weak man. That is weak.
Delusions of granduer
April 25th, 2010
3:17 pm
Sanford Drive,
I’m being very constructive here. I’m actually helping Dog fans. I’m helping temper their expectations and helping them realize that they aint nothin. That way the next time you take a 49-10 beating from Florida you won’t be too upset because it will be your normal course of expectations. Wait a minute? It already is. Hardy hardy har har
Delusions of granduer
April 25th, 2010
3:18 pm
I’ve had my fun with you guys. I’ll let it go till tomorrow.
Sanford Drive
April 25th, 2010
3:24 pm
“they ain’t nothing.”
Yeah, but spending a Sunday afternoon butchering the English language on a rival school’s blog is really something.
chazzo
April 25th, 2010
3:59 pm
Delusional,
You are wrong. Before 1996, the Gators went for …. wait they never won a championship. In the history of the school… I know how you are going to answer this but just zip it. You are wrong. Simply WRONG. In fact all of these teams have had twenty year plus stints without an NC. How many did Bear Bryant win????? Wait… None. Bu…. Bu,,,,, Bu…..
Shut up. You are wrong. Your argument is weak.
Foolish Pride
April 25th, 2010
5:13 pm
chazzo, you and I both know college football did not exsist UNTIL 1996. Nothing matters except for Florida’s recent success. NOTHING.
At any rate. Let the Gators keep talking. There will always be an extremely successful team (or two) playing in the state of Florida. As of late, it has been all UF, but sooner or later The U and FSU will get their acts back together, and all of the would be UF recruits will once again have a legitimate decision to make (regarding which of the three big FL football schools they want to attend). Enjoy your time at the top Gators. Nothing lasts forever, with the possible exception of your misplaced hubris.
You are winning on borrowed time. Your school (did you know that UF is a school and not merely a football team?) is as beneficiary of geography. Your fan base is just as delusional as any other, as evidenced by the creation of the firecoachmeyer.com website after Urby lost a few back in 2005.
As a final note, you have room on your schedule to play Miami every year. I know your rivalries with schools like Southeast North Dakota State Magnet School for Girls are quite heated, but you have a in-state rival that your have long been afraid to play. Get over yourself and grow a pair.
Simple Simons
April 25th, 2010
5:45 pm
Easiest Tech prediction for 2010.
The old geezers are gonna get them and their stupid ass jalopy carjacked and probably mugged for their saddle shoes while walking to the game.
Tough times at Tech.
Bulldog59
April 25th, 2010
6:20 pm
Bill, I heard today that Logan Gray told some folks in Athens this weekend, that he plans to file paperwork for a transfer on Monday, say it ain’t so Bill!
Champ Kind
April 25th, 2010
7:09 pm
I’m optimistic, but I don’t have dilusions of a Mythical National Championship in 2010. I think we’ll improve our record given what has happened in othe offseason with other Eastern division foes. For example, the Rocky Top faithful are already saying the honeymoon for Derek Dooley is over given his antics during Spring. Charging the media to cover practice? Hello! I don’t expect much from the checkerboard clan in ‘10 and easily put a W next to that date on my scorecard. Carolina will continue to find a way to choke, but Spurrier has some serious talent this year. If Garcia can pull his head out of his sphinctoiditomy, they may give the Dawgs a run. Not. Kentucky is breaking in a new coach and doesn’t have a whole lot of talent returning, so they don’t worry me either. Vandy is well, Vandy… put a W in that column. The biggest mystery to me is Florida. Can they replace a ton of coaching talent, bring along two new QB’s and find bodies to replace the NFL caliber talent that left on D. A lot of question marks for Florida, but this isn’t the ’80’s when we could slap a W in this column. Florida is so far into our skulls, even with the turmoil and turnover they’re still likely to beat us.
I could see us accepting an Outback Bowl bid this year.
yeah whatever!
April 25th, 2010
7:27 pm
BD You are forgetting 1981………UGAs only loss was the bowl game….They played ala and fla that year. did you forget about that?
AltamahaDawg
April 25th, 2010
7:33 pm
Yea , sport, thats why I joked about it. Keep up!
AltamahaDawg
April 25th, 2010
7:41 pm
You know a team is doing well when folks are calling thier New Year’s day 10th victory an “incredibly sub-par year” .
west coast dawg lover
April 25th, 2010
7:58 pm
So long as Mark Richt is HC, our product will not be first class. We were good in the first five years with 2 SEC championships. But we haven’t won the east in four years and there’s no reason, in my view, to think in the fifth season we will.
Look at what we’re confronted with: we have a new DC that seems to have breathed some life into our moribund program with losses effecting nearly every area on defense. Grantham seems like a breath of fresh air, though, demanding his charges to be sound in fundamentals and attack.
First question for Mark Richt. Didn’t you see the defensive deficiences on Georgia’s team the past four years? And if you didn’t why not? And if you did, why didn’t you take action immediately to correct it? Why do you have such a quixotic man has OC? We score on a beautiful first drive against Okie State and then try to run the clock out. And Mark Richt lets it be.
I think that Mark Richt’s nice guy qualities and his faith that he wares on his sleeves have fooled a lot of people. They count more on the foregoing than on winning football programs. Maybe Coach Richt should be the head of the religion department at UGA.
He’s not strong enough, and does not possess the tenacity to really run a tight ship. A friend of mine, an Alabama grad, says that Georgia players and coaches aren’t afraid of Richt. Bama coaches and players are afraid of Saban. He engineered a team whose cupboard was bare when he took over the program into a national champion in three seasons. One of the wins was the national embarrassment inflicted on our team in Athens with the score 31-0 at the half! And despite this and despite other lopsided scores, Richt kept his buddy Martinez around.
I believe he would have kept him on had the heat not risen considerably for his demise. Notwithstanding, he took Martzinez with him to South Florida after the regular season to visit with a Georgia commit at the time. A week or so later Martzinez gets canned. The recruit decommits and goes to SoCal.
Wouldn’t you have concluded that Martinez was going to stay at UGA since he was on a recruiting trip with the head man? Is that too frightening a conclusion for the delusional out there?
He doesn’t have the skills needed to be a CEO/HC. He can’t cut it.
While I hope we become the beast of the east and the SEC’s champion, I have too many doubts to believe that possible. This is MR’s last season.
Isn’t this enough to doubt that this same man will be able to lead us to a championship? I think so.
But folks, we can’t win with MR as the CEO and CMB as the OC. Besides, we don’t have a seasoned QB and if Murray is injured, then what? We are one injury away from being rudderless! That’s a fact.
So we have 10 starters returning on O. If we don’t have a QB who can keep the D honest, then we’re lost.
I, for one, continue to wonder what is going on or what was going on with Richt. One of the comments above mine talked about his disinterest. I don’t think it is that. I think he lacks cajones. Keep in mind that this HC wasn’t strong enough to overrule directional kicks continually called by Fabris. Are you kidding me? Would that coach have stayed around had Saban or Meyer been HC. I think not and if you’re honest with yourself, you’ll conclude the same thing.
My question is how did Damon Evans allow this to happen. He should know something about football as he played at Georgia. Nonetheless, Damon slept while Georgia burned as did Mike Adams. Perhaps president Adams had had enough of the wrath of misguided Georgia fans who held him in high disregard for disposing of the icon, Vince Dooley.
We’re in a heap ‘o trouble. 7 – 5.
Dawg Tired
April 25th, 2010
8:24 pm
Where do you suggest one wear his faith? Where do you wear your faith? As a follower of Christ, I fully expect people to criticize Coach Richt for being a Believer. That’s part of the deal in that it is considered foolishness to those who do not believe. While I am not surprised, when folks make fun of Believers, I personally find it offensive, but if I have learned anything about being a Christ follower it is that some folks will make fun of my faith or use such terms as holier than Thou. The real question is who is really acting superior; the one calling Coach Richt holier than Thou (i.e., ridiculing his faith – I would think very seriously about that before stepping into that arena) or Coach Richt who is simply one who takes his relationship with God seriously?
May God show mercy to you as He has to me even though I deserve anything but His mercy.
UGA DAWGZ
April 25th, 2010
8:44 pm
west coast dawg lover- Stay with USC and California cause the real dawg fans that are actually in Georgia and the south don’t need unfaithful like you
Chris Phillips
April 25th, 2010
8:47 pm
Confidence high? NO!!
Racine Dawg
April 25th, 2010
8:49 pm
The dawgs will lose a few, but at least UGA has a coach with a lot more class than the lowlife that coach bama and florida.
Tick Tock
April 25th, 2010
9:51 pm
Racine Dawg,
Richt has a lot of class? Maybe that’s why his team rushed the end zone against the gators. Now THAT is class. Maybe the reason the dogs are getting arrested every 5 minutes is a reflection of his “class”.
BTW, the clock is ticking. How many days, hours, or mere minutes before one of the classy coaches players gets arrested again?
David Granger
April 25th, 2010
10:18 pm
Let’s HOPE not. The last time confidence was “high” we were pre-season number one…although the team had lots of holes, and anybody with the damn sense God gave biscuit dough should have KNOWN that. But I’ll be damned if my fellow Dawg fans didn’t start whooping and running their damn mouths about it. (When did UGA fans start acting like that damn FSU scum?)
And sure enough, we sucked that year….losing to teams we should have beaten, and having all kinds of trouble with teams we shoulda hammered.
Wait five games into the season, and then we’ll start talking about “confidence”.
RS
April 25th, 2010
10:29 pm
Bill,
How’s Trinton Sturdivant doing? I will feel much more confident about the season, when I see #77 pancaking defenders on the field. I know that 1 ACL is a lot to recover from. But, 2 on the same knee? God bless him. Sturdivant seems like a tremendous competitor.
How is his recovery and morale? The Dawgs need him to open up some holes for anybody toting the rock next season. Whether he can resume his once promising UGA career or not, I thank this young man for his commitment to Georgia Bulldogs football and hope to see him succeed.
Go Dawgs!
Dawg Tired
April 25th, 2010
10:30 pm
Tick Tock – While you probably already know this, the idea was for the players already on the field to celebrate. The other players were not supposed to rush the field. Of course, since you obviously don’t like Georgia anyway, that fact may be totally irrelevant to you. While you obviously have concluded Coach Richt does not have any class, I would be interested if you think Coach Meyer calling a time- out in the last minute of the game with a big lead is a CLASS act. My assumption is that you are perfectly ok with that. Which. of course, tells me what i already knew – you are a Dawg hater who hangs out on the Dawg blog site for some reason beyond anything logical. Thanks for caring enough about UGA football to take the time to bad mouth our coach. We are obviously important enough to you for you to take up time here.
Ace
April 25th, 2010
11:33 pm
Will they break backing into the top 25? A program that is going nowhere.
RED DOG 77
April 26th, 2010
1:19 am
Funny how much logic and “on paper” football we fans play during the off-season. The major issue I see as a fan and grad of the University of Georgia, is the change we all have seen with our new defensive coaching staff……..Lets just say for the moment that the offense will take care of itself, you know vet line, above average RBs, young QB that will be instructed to “manage” the game, CMR back in the saddle along with Bobo, calling the plays to shorten the game, ok. …………The biggest key I see is the defense………..And as most will agree, defense wins championships !!! Hell folks, I could win as a D coach with the talent that coach Todd Grantham has ! There-in is the big secret for the 2010 edition of the GEORGIA BULLDOGS !!!! Bull poop is what I say when folks say it will take a while to properly install the 3-4 defense ! Agressive, nail their ass in the ground football is fun as hell to these poor kids who have been playing bend don’t break for their time in college football. Agressive defensive football creates chemistry, just look at Alabama……….and that defensive chemistry usually spills over to the offense because they don’t want to be left behind………………..Yes, in a nut shell the culture has changed in Athens, the chemistry has started this Spring, There is a fire burning out of control in Athens, Georgia………………And that fire is the GEORGIA BULLDOGS………GO DOGS !!! GATA !!! SIC’ ‘EM WOOOF……….WOOOF………WOOOF……..WOOOF !!!
chazzo
April 26th, 2010
6:17 am
As a Dawg fan, I am 4Ws, 1L in Jax. Let’s pass the hat and get me two tix for 2010.
Cory
April 26th, 2010
6:40 am
Not sure…still alot of the usual smack and feel good talking that never seems to translate to the actual season. That we put our so called number 1 QB for the spring on a conference call for him to tell the world how good he feels is a bit of the same old stuff. Bottom line- time for this team and coaches to stop telling us how good they feel and start showing it on the field.
Dawg Tired
April 26th, 2010
7:48 am
I agree with Cory. Less talk and more wins is what we need. Vince was always poor-mouthing about how bad we were and how good our opponents were, etc. Then we usually went out and won the game. Keep ‘em humble.
dap01
April 26th, 2010
8:19 am
Yes, we have an unexperienced QB. The main difference is we have a defensive coach who we can atleast hope has a clue.
Martinez was the WORST.
How2fish
April 26th, 2010
8:47 am
Lets see spring ball is over , the NFL draft has come and gone..it seems like the season kickoff is a million years from now and the NBA is just starting its seemingly never ending playoffs..damn I gotta go fishing! Go Dogs.
Todd from Birmingham
April 26th, 2010
9:06 am
Amen Dan! Mark Richt sucks in more ways than I have time to post. This is the man that tells all of you supporters to basically stay out of his business weekend after weekend. “there’s honor being in the arena.” That was his way of telling all of you to shut up!! I’m not going to explain the facts of him only having success with Donnans recruits early on and since then sucking wind. Bottom Line is- play for the SEC title this year or resign!!! The last 2 years were flops…do any of you CMR supporters really think this 2nd coming of Bobby bowden think he can actually win a national title? C’mon now, be honest! Hell no you don’t! Anyone have Mitch Muschamps phone number?
Another Dog
April 26th, 2010
9:26 am
My confidence will be higher when Logan Gray transfers.
Look for the story this afternoon. You heard it here first.
Will
April 26th, 2010
9:56 am
Just the fact that I won’t have to see the infamous “pooch kick” is awesome.
AceDawg
April 26th, 2010
9:56 am
A major upgrade in defensive coaching and lots of returning talent on offense should clearly make for a better UGA club this year. If Murray is great, I would say UGA could be a BCS team. But a team like Florida certainly will be a handful regardless of how good UGA is. As long as the defense plays respectable for a whole season, I will not be too angry with a couple losses.
dan
April 26th, 2010
11:06 am
Delusions of granduer,
Perhaps you’re right about the UGA fan base, and I also think that folks are underestimating Brantley. But I’ll tell you one thing right now: If UGA gets blown out but Florida this year by 3 TD’s or more when the Gators are breaking in brand new starters, then Richt needs to be fired! Period! End of discussion! Losing to the Gators in a rebuilding year is as bad as losing to them during the Ron Zook years. It’s totally inexcusable! Richt has a winning record against every team in the SEC except for Florida. If Ole Miss and Auburn can handle Florida in this decade then there is no reason why the Dawgs can’t do the same!This 17 out of 20 and 2-8 in this decade crap is pathetic, especially from a team that has had the kind of success that UGA has had recently.
South Georgia UGA Hick
April 26th, 2010
11:24 am
How many coaches did Florida hang in effigy and fire for the
eighty somewhat years of mediocrity before they finally won
an SEC championship. Of course, the first they claim, was
not official because they were on probation for cheating.