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.
Loading ...Feel free to vote in the poll, share your thoughts in the comments, or do both.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
245 comments Add your comment
Head up your #@$
April 26th, 2010
12:15 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.”
The above is an actual quote from a Bulldog fan on this post. Are Bulldog fans this stupid or does the Kool-Aid really run this deep in Athens.
Cory
April 26th, 2010
1:15 pm
Why do we always quote what our QBs did in high school to make us a “feel good”….so far when we have had a “great” QB in high school (Stafford, Cox), they were a big flop in college. Murry is the next “great” hs QB……maybe it will change
TX Ex
April 26th, 2010
1:26 pm
You have to admire Dawg fans – I’ve never seen more blind, unsubstantiated enthusiasm for a team in all my life. And it’s spouted year after year, by legions of UGA fans.
I guess it’s a testament to the human spirit that UGA fans can be constantly disappointed, yet still stand up and declare victory. Of course they’re only moral, rather than actual, victories.
Amazing.
TheItalianDawg
April 26th, 2010
1:42 pm
well, ESPN says Mark Richt on a hot seat along with Les Miles and Rodriguez of Michigan. ESPN thinks this D coaches changes solve the problem because it is just a way to find an answer for a bigger problem. I honestly dont know what are they talking about? I think Georgia is very much a contender for the SEC but ESPN might know something that we ordinary fans dont know? so the only way I see Mark Richt on a hot seat is by having a similar year like last one and the D is just the same or worse! so what do you people think?
TheItalianDawg
April 26th, 2010
1:43 pm
I meant “this D coaches changes will NOT solve the problem”
Bulldog59
April 26th, 2010
2:02 pm
TX Ex, etal., is your life really that meaningless? Why do all you fans from other schools spend so much of your time reading UGA blogs and then trying to bash the school, it’s fans, etc.? I watch other schools, etc. but couldn’t care less about their fans comments, much less read thru it everyday. Get a life, or better yet, go back to Texas. I guess you are still smarting from the SEC beating Texas for the BCS Title, the 4th in a row by the SEC.
How2fish
April 26th, 2010
2:20 pm
TheItalianDawg hot seat for CMR…as much as the haters of the Bulldog Nation are concerned well they HOPE SO lets see 07 2nd in the nation 08 10 wins in spite a dozen season ending injuries , last year a down year true but changes made to hopefully help shore up our D..no I don’t think so. oh and we won our bowl game and the ACC..
Diamond Dog's Parole Officer
April 26th, 2010
4:03 pm
Is confidence high in bulldog nation?
Every year its high. UGA wins the recruiting championship every year. Because they’re damn good dogs. And if they don’t commit to UGA, then they just didn’t want them in the first place.
The weird thing is that they have only won 2 conference championships in the past 27 years, but they consider themselves a top 10 national program.
At least they’ll have a new quarterback to replace Joe Cox, aka “The Sherminator”
Diamond Dog's Parole Officer
April 26th, 2010
4:04 pm
And I forgot, since they beat their in state ACC opponent, they run their state!
MELLER YELLER
April 26th, 2010
4:11 pm
dont forget they slipped into the top ten in total wins over the last ten years because of all the high schools they scheduled games with for a sure win , and they lost a few of those LOL OK ST i mean really lol
Tick Tock
April 26th, 2010
4:24 pm
TX ex,
You hit the nail on the head. I for one am also constantly amazed by the dawg fans. Its actually more amusement than anything else. They come off an 8-5 season, are starting a freshman qb, and have a new Defensive coordinator who was their 5th choice and who was a failing 30th out of 32 teams for 2 years in his only job ever as a defensive coordinator. I wish I could have some of whatever they are smoking.
Shreveport Sam
April 26th, 2010
4:27 pm
The reason the dawgs went from 6-5 in 1979 to a national title in 1980 is best summed up in two words – “Herschel Walker.” Beyond getting a “once an era” player in the early eighties, what has Georgia done since? Relatively little. Every spring we have to go through this “hope is eternal deal with UGA fans, who’ll solemnly proclaim this is the year. And, in all of our hearts, we know it isn’t. Untested quarterback who’s never played a down, brand new untested defensive coordination, and Mark Richt.
“Woof” now, cause I have a feeling it’s gonna be quiet at the kennel come this fall…..
Bulldog59
April 26th, 2010
4:30 pm
Once again the Atletically Challenged Conference tries to demean The Dawgs. As all polite people do to those less fortunate, we just smile and say, that’s nice. It’s funny, the GT folks are always in UGA blogs, because this is where the real football is. Does the AJC even have blogs about GT football? I’ve never looked, it’s as interesting as (and comparable to) D3 football to me. Just go back downtown and enjoy Freaknik boys, we’ll spend our time in Athens.
Chronos
April 26th, 2010
5:40 pm
Bulldog59, go over to the Tech Blogs, and look at all the puppy posts there (I am sure if you concentrate, you can figure out how to to use the internet). Great post!
GaDawg
April 26th, 2010
5:50 pm
Head up your #@$
April 26th, 2010
12:15 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.”
The above is an actual quote from a Bulldog fan on this post. Are Bulldog fans this stupid or does the Kool-Aid really run this deep in Athens.
DOES VENOM REALLY RUN THIS DEEP IN YOUR SOUL?
Gray
April 26th, 2010
7:45 pm
I’m so optimistic, I’m abandoning this sinking ship,
Easy East or not our coach can’t win with his recruits.
Where is Done-In now?
Bama2010
April 26th, 2010
8:21 pm
this team will win 5 games. Sorry
Tick Tock
April 26th, 2010
10:41 pm
Yet another dog player arrested today. Unbelievable. What is it? 3 or 4 players arrested in the past week? I think its 4.
Diamond Dog's Parole Officer
April 26th, 2010
11:21 pm
Isn’t weird how the walk on players at UGA are immediately dismissed from the team but the scholarship players are given more time for CMR to “look into the situation”
Yeah, CMR has really tightened the reigns on his players. The names and players change but the behavior remains the same.
I can’t wait to hear his latest Bobby Bowden-esque response.
Tdawg
April 27th, 2010
1:27 am
hey
Tdawg
April 27th, 2010
1:39 am
I would like to know why I can’t find my blogs posted on here. Let me know if I am wasting my time on this site or not.
Paddy
April 27th, 2010
2:05 am
Another one of our player arrested on Monday. This is out of hand and disgusting. What a terrible pattern has developed in Athens. Adams, start asking the tough questions. It is time! Believe me, I do not stand along on this issue.
georgiadawg70
April 27th, 2010
7:56 am
Hope springs eternal but for some reason I don’t have that warm fuzzy feeling.
GT51
April 27th, 2010
8:03 am
i’m glad to see the dogg fans so optimistic. lost entire d line and most of secondary except for that midget you call a db. new qb and no backup, but still optimistic. every dogg fan is hanging their hat on a couple of good rushing games against bad defenses at the end of the year. uga will be lucky to win 7-8 games again this year. the only good thing is that the schedule is favorable.
Bud Kilmer
April 27th, 2010
8:32 am
Stick to the basics!!!!!!!
Racine Dawg
April 27th, 2010
8:44 am
With florida way down, this could be the year of the Dawg! The D will be loaded and the UGA running game will be the best in the SEC. Dawgs win the SEC East—mark it down!
CatsFly
April 27th, 2010
8:50 am
I believe that UGa will start a lacrosse program within 5 years. Wait and see, UGa will be soon be shouting that a have a top lacrosse team. Real men play lacrosse, not SEC basketball.
Gt4ever
April 27th, 2010
8:53 am
LOVES GEORGIA
I guess you would have liked it better if Mett had put his hands all over guys……. and, yikes, a college student was drinking…… You guys crack me up! If you were to let everybody go that drank, you wouldn’t be able to field a team,and that goes for most college football teams… Mett was your best QB, and now he is gone… You should be OK with Murray, because of the supporting cast, but in my humble estimation your team will again underachieve….. Just sayin…
Bud Kilmer
April 27th, 2010
8:58 am
“My boys too much for you?”
Gatorbait 17-3
April 27th, 2010
9:27 am
Racine Dawg
April 27th, 2010
8:44 am
With florida way down, this could be the year of the Dawg! The D will be loaded and the UGA running game will be the best in the SEC. Dawgs win the SEC East—mark it down!
WRONG———–Check this out:
Among Nation’s elite?
Interim coach Steve Addazio isn’t bashful about his stable of running backs.
“We probably have the best running back combination in America right now,” said Addazio to the Central Florida Gator Club last week.
Pretty bold statement. Addazio isn’t including Chris Rainey, who worked out with the wide receivers all spring.
Addazio touches on Jeff Demps being “the world’s fastest football player,” Emmanuel Moody’s dedication as a senior and sophomore Mike Gillislee, from DeLand, as a “powerful runner.”
“We’ve got a stable of three backs that are really talented,” Addazio said. “And you’ve got a young guy coming in, Mack Brown, a very talented guy.”
Florida’s top-four running backs averaged at least 6.5 yards per carry in 2009, but topping the country’s best running backs will be an arduous task.
Alabama’s Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson combined for more than 2,400 yards and 25 touchdowns last season. Virginia Tech’s Ryan Williams and Darren Evans will be dangerous after Williams’ 1,655-yard season .
How2fish
April 27th, 2010
9:28 am
Racine Dawg beater 5-7 really..I’ll take that bet.
Go Gators
April 27th, 2010
10:21 am
wow anothe UGA player arrested
Spokesman for the SEC East
April 27th, 2010
10:25 am
how2, actually the East would prefer Richt to win just enough games to keep his Job. Peterson might make UGA relevant again.
Chris
April 27th, 2010
10:41 am
Boys, it’s obvious you are missing the point. Arrests are good news. Let’s look at the history of teams with arrests in relation to wins…it’s typically good. C’mon ACCPD…step your game up!
Hines Ward
April 27th, 2010
11:09 am
Chris, dont compare Gray with me, he couldnt wear my jock.
St. Richt
April 27th, 2010
4:09 pm
And in addition to another player being arrested, Michael Adams has changed the alcohol and drug policy at UGA so that it is more lenient on repeat offenders. Nice. And by the way, the title of this blog is hilarious. And typical.
St. Richt
April 27th, 2010
4:10 pm
Next blog should be title “who’s gonna get thrown in the pokey tonight?”
Honest Lee
April 27th, 2010
5:38 pm
Confidence is ALWAYS high in dawgnation. If you ask the average mutt dawg fan EVERY year is going tor result in a national title. A better, more newsworthy headline would be if the dawgs admitted that 2010 will be a rebuilding year, but we know that won’t happen.
Palm City Dawg
April 27th, 2010
7:20 pm
Has anyone see the Belcher Report on the preliminary Coaches Poll prediction? UGA is not even in the top 25!!! That’s B___S__T!!
Dawgs Win East
April 27th, 2010
9:31 pm
The Dawgs will be the surprise team of the SEC in 2010!!! UGA upsets an overrated florida team and wins the East—book it!
Dawg in Jacksonville
April 28th, 2010
12:59 pm
This year shapes up to lose to SC and Auburn, but beat Fla and TN – with the new D scheme we need to take the Alabama approach, we’ll lose 3 or 4 this year, have a killer recruiting class, win the East next year[have a better recruiting class], and then win the National Title the year after that
Paul Carrodus
April 29th, 2010
1:50 am
Enter your comments here
Paul Carrodus
April 29th, 2010
1:54 am
DOGS WILL CONTEND!!! QB will hand off to Washan or Caleb for the first game or so. He will then spread the weatlth between Caleb, Washan, AJ & Orson. UGA wins the east and beats Bama in the SEC Championship Game! YOUR HEARD IT HEAR FIRST!!!!!
Paul Carrodus
April 29th, 2010
1:55 am
Go to Vegas and get the Odds now!
xman
May 14th, 2010
10:47 am
Bulldog great David Pollack wil be at the Fox Sports Grill (Atlantic Station) Thursday May 20th at 7:15 pm. Come on down to meet him and get an autograph!