Dogs only need to be a little better to top last year
Aaron Murray's play will be a key to whether the Dogs improve their turnover ratio. (Bob Andres / AJC)
Games often turn on a play or two. Seasons can turn on a game or two.
Fletcher Page of Dawg Post brought that to mind in a chat with the Chapel Bell blog when he noted: “To me, last year was a last minute (and disgraceful call) loss to LSU, and a flop on senior night against Kentucky away from a 10-win season. Despite a poor defense, turnover prone quarterback, and sketchy playcalling, that’s the truth.”
Well, sort of. The Dogs did pretty well give the Kentucky game away in the second half with turnovers. But it wasn’t just the bad flag on A.J. Green that allowed LSU to come back and win that game. Terrible kickoff coverage and lousy tackling on the 33-yard winning touchdown run had something to do with it, too.
And these close calls work both ways. Had Rennie Curran not broken up that fourth-day pass at the goal line with 22 seconds remaining, Georgia might not have come away with a win over South Carolina. What if Bacarri Rambo hadn’t made that play at the goal line in the Auburn game and the Tigers had tied it up? And if a wide open Bay-Bay Thomas hadn’t dropped that fourth-down pass in the Tech game …
So, yes, Georgia came thisclose to 10 wins last year, but the Dogs also easily could have had eight losses.
Page’s basic point is worth remembering, though. Georgia managed an eight-win season, including a bowl game, despite having nearly the worst turnover ratio in the country, terrible kick coverage, an inconsistent defense and a quarterback who threw way too many interceptions.
Looking ahead, this is the time of year when the fan base is at its most optimistic, but if we temper our expectations a bit, what is the minimum improvement that we can expect?
The turnover situation has to get better, and mathematically the odds are that will be the case. If there’s dramatic improvement in that aspect of the game, it’ll be big.
Tied in with that will be the play of Aaron Murray. True, he’s an inexperienced quarterback, but he’s surrounded by 10 returning starters, so he really only has to be adequate until he gets a few games under his belt and avoid turning the ball over. That’s why Mark Richt keeps telling him he doesn’t have to be the hero.
And Mike Bobo has to strike a balance between easing his QB into the full offensive package and not playing it too conservatively, while balancing the running and passing games.
The revamped defense is probably going to go through some growing pains, but seems poised to at least be a lot more aggressive, especially at going after the quarterback. But if the fundamentals of tackling are sound, which they too often weren’t the past couple of seasons, Georgia at least shouldn’t be any worse off.
On special teams, Georgia has a couple of the best kickers in the country, but that was the case last year. What hurt in too many games was the extremely poor planning and execution of kickoff coverage. We have different folks in charge of that this year, so there’s hope for improvement.
Basically, all the 2010 Dogs need to be better than last year’s team is moderate improvement in a few key areas.
Still, in the end there will be games that come down to a batted pass here or a missed tackle there. Or even a penalty flag.
And without that element of uncertainty, college football wouldn’t be nearly as much fun.
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114 comments Add your comment
How2fish
June 18th, 2010
3:28 pm
Les Grossman show up in Athens and we will paint your AZZ …wait your too ugly to be a Bulldog..
TJ
June 18th, 2010
3:40 pm
UGA better get the kicker from Calhoun class of 2012 Adam Griffith. Bama offered him last week.
buzzDawg
June 18th, 2010
7:39 pm
Bill, I think there is reason to be optimistic. The OL should be much improved and stabilized – maybe the best in the SEC and even the nation. We have the nation’s best kicking duo in Walsh and Butler. We likely have the best tight ends in the SEC. Our two running backs are more than solid. Our fullbacks are awesome. If AJ Green gets a little assistance from the receiving corps, we should be fine there. QB Murray just needs to stick to basics until he gets his feet on the ground. While the defense is a question mark, it has to be better than last year.
Patsy
June 18th, 2010
8:23 pm
BuLL, you seemed to take delight last year bragging about the ruff dog schedule and the”tek” soft schedule.
What will the dog SOS be this year? About 101?
BuLLdawg
June 19th, 2010
3:05 am
No, believe it or not, there are quite a few fans that are less than thrilled that the # 11 team All-Time in history in Wins 1-A have in fact a 10-10 record vs SEC East teams the last 4 years while those opponents have SUCKED except for Florida.
So, no, that HAS BEENS poster is not I sir.
Mike ?
10-win season Mike ?
Oh, joy oh joy oh joy.
I just cannot wait to go 10-3 this season.
That means :
(1) Loss to Florida for the 8th time in Coach Richt Era.
(2) NO SEC Champion Game even since 2005 until 2011 at least
(3) “Dream Team” will be used against us February 2011.
(4) 3 SEC losses, most likely of the 3-losses you concede
(5) Very soft schedule, so 3 losses is 2 more not Top 25
(6) That will be then 10 losses non Top 25 in 10 yrs Coach Richt
(7) Hot seat talk, already at fever pitch, will be much louder
(8) # 19 finish in Top 25 Final AP Poll that’s what 10-3 is.
(9) Already # 19 over last 4 years at 38-14 won / loss record.
(10) Another bowl game 10 in a row where no win Top 10 Final AP Poll opponent.
(11) Already # 4 vs SEC teams last 4 years at 20-12, stay there
(12) Already # 3 vs SEC East teams last 4 years 10-10, same again
(13) Already # 5 SEC Coach vs Top 25 teams, not move up there either
(14) Altamahadawg in here at season end saying yes LATE FIRING MIKE BOBO
Nice point 10-win season possible. I can’t wait.
Mike
Funny
June 19th, 2010
7:39 am
Dream Team….BAHAHAHAHAHA…………….
destin dawg
June 19th, 2010
9:44 am
I don’t wish a heart attack on Urban Meyer… but Charlie Strong is gone now… I also hated the way he wore out Tebow.. then hugged him ( concussion, shoulder separation), you don’t run your QB like a FB all the time… same with Percy Harvin.. what a phony.. these kids won’t have the pro career they should have.. Richt takes better care of his kids even though record may not be as good.. it will be next couple years.. new DEEEE coaches etc..
Hello BuLLdaug
June 19th, 2010
10:08 am
#15. Loss to “Tek”. Again. At home. Between the hedges.
guy
June 19th, 2010
5:03 pm
destin dawg: harvin was offensive rookie of the year last year. i think his pro career will be ok. fat lot of good richt ‘taking better care’ did for stafford and his pro prospects.
AltamahaDawg
June 19th, 2010
6:27 pm
Actually Stacy Searles has always been the object of my question marks. If we could ever get a solid O-line I believe that we can put to good use all the investement we have put into a young OC. In all fairmess, I have said that CSS has had to work around a lot of adversity.
And the reality is that Coach Bobo is going to have to straighten out some issues. All legit excuses aside, it is his job.
But I have to say that I am truly flattered that you only decided to get on the fire Coach Bobo kick just because you thought I had wanted that. That’s real sweet.
Rick and Becca
June 20th, 2010
12:38 pm
Tech fans are such losers.
more than a "little"
June 21st, 2010
1:02 pm
ya’ll suck
Chris
June 21st, 2010
1:29 pm
Good article Bill.
I was thinking the same thing regarding the LSU and Kentucky game. That second half of the Kentucky game was maybe the worst 30 mins of the Richt era (including the first half of the UT game in ‘08). But I was impressed with you pointing out how we could have lost eight games.
Parcells said it best…’in football, your record says you are what you are’. No what ifs, buts, if only’s, etc. We were an eight win team.
I have very high hopes for this year with the O line, Grantham, new kickoff coverage, runnings backs, AJ and all that stuff including an easier schedule but I really can’t recall a freshman quarterback winning a conference championship. Am I mistaken?
Thanks
jsoroka
June 22nd, 2010
10:05 pm
get rid of all the blacks and they will win