Dogs managed big win despite patchy defensive effort
Maybe Mark Richt should let Sanders Commings have a few plays as a receiver. (Associated Press)
A few more thoughts about Saturday night’s win over Kentucky. …
If you’re in a glass-half-full mood, you can take encouragement from the fact that the Dogs managed to notch a big SEC win on the road against a resurgent Wildcats team without really putting it all together and playing a complete game. If you’re of the glass-half-empty mind-set, you’re bothered by such things as the way the defense still had trouble stopping third-and-long conversions, continuing pass coverage problems in the secondary and the minor slump that Blair Walsh seems to be having. …
Walsh might be suffering a sudden lack of confidence or concentration (missing a PAT??!!) but Drew Butler seems to have returned to last-season form. His punting was awesome in Lexington and, along with the take-aways, helped the Dogs win the field-position battle. …
For the most part, you couldn’t really complain about Mike Bobo’s playcalling against the Cats, since it was pretty obvious Georgia was in a run-first mode and was only going to put the ball up when it had to. But, really, that third-quarter three–and-out when Washaun Ealey was on the sideline was depressing: Two Carlton Thomas runs for not much and an incomplete pass. In general, when Ealey wasn’t the ball carrier, the Dogs’ ground game didn’t do much. Hopefully the return of Caleb King to the mix next week will mean the Dogs’ offense doesn’t have to take a series off just because Ealey is taking a rest. …
Justin Houston has become a major weapon for Todd Grantham’s defense, what with the sacks, forcing a fumble, recovering a fumble and batting down a pass in addition to all the times he hurried Mike Hartline. And in the Dogs’ secondary, Sanders Commings is getting better each week. That interception in the end zone was a catch worthy of A.J. Green.
But it looks like the light still hasn’t come on for poor Vance Cuff. And while we’re on the subject of pass coverage, Grantham still hasn’t solved the problem of what happens when the blitz doesn’t reach the QB in time and receivers are left wide open. At times it looked like Georgia was afraid to play man-to-man, but the zone clearly wasn’t working. …
The most obvious aspects of Ealey’s play against Kentucky were the record-setting five touchdowns and lack of any fumbles. But also impressive was the second-effort that allowed him to muscle in some of those scores. …
Green had, for him, a quiet game with six catches for 86 yards and no touchdowns. But that screen pass where he broke some tackles with really tough running to get it down to the UK 10-yard line was vintage A.J. …
Aaron Murray wasn’t called on to do a whole lot except hand off or pitch the ball for much of the game, but when he did throw, he completed 75 percent and had no turnovers. And Georgia as a team again had no turnovers. If that is the case in Jacksonville, the Gators will be in trouble. …
Lastly, this was the first CSS coverage of a game I’ve seen in a long time and I hope it’ll be a very long time before I see another. Between play-by-play announcer Matt Stewart and “analyst” Chris Doering prattling on about anything other than what was happening on the field, those interminable cutesy sideline features by Allison Williams that often overran plays, and the lousy directing and camera-work that at times missed the action, it was one of the most irritating football broadcasts I can recall. It’ll be good to see the Dogs back on CBS next week, even if Verne Lundquist is several seasons past it. …
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162 comments Add your comment
UGA preseason number one 2008
October 24th, 2010
7:00 pm
“Yes, turn “em loose.. got to use AJ and the TE’s to beat Fla. and have a chance against Awlbarn… GO Dawgs !!!”
UGA beats a couple of bad SEC teams and all of the sudden they are national title contenders.
Reminder: UGA is 4-4
Auburn is 8-0 and has 4 convincing wins over top ranked teams.
Auburn beat the best defense AND the best offense in back to back weeks.
UGA has beaten two bad SEC teams in back to back weeks.
UGA logic = retardation
UGA preseason number one 2008
October 24th, 2010
7:01 pm
Eaassyy
Tide Roll got his arse handed to him on a Falcons blog by two Auburn fans.
tide flop
October 24th, 2010
7:11 pm
tide roll. Please identify yourself and true motivation for posting on uga blogs. Your bitterness runs deep and seems to be personal. you rarely make any sense and appear to be drinking when you post. The effort and time you put forth in blogging re: uga is troublesome for someone who poses as a bama fan.
Ken: define insider
uga's girl
October 24th, 2010
7:15 pm
uga preseason number one 2008, how do i say this? go away. there, that was easy. i haven’t heard one Dawg fan say that we’re contenders for the NC. only you & a couple of other idiots who are not Dawg fans. so go to the tech blog or maybe alaska. either would welcome you with open arms because they are both full of morons.
Ben
October 24th, 2010
7:24 pm
We should feel good about the win but that sense of dread has already entered going into this week. Yeah Florida has lost 3 but they were against stiff competition and Meyer has had an extra week to prepare and expose our weak secondary.
I’ll believe it when I see it.
All things considered though, a win this week and beat Tech……….I’ll consider the season a success given the start we had.
ken
October 24th, 2010
7:27 pm
Tide flop, I don’t know what ‘insider” means. Someone told me that at a party, so it may or may not be true. That’s why I asked.
UGA preseason number one 2008
October 24th, 2010
7:32 pm
“go away. there, that was easy. i haven’t heard one Dawg fan say that we’re contenders for the NC. only you & a couple of other idiots who are not Dawg fans. so go to the tech blog or maybe alaska. either would welcome you with open arms because they are both full of morons.”
Um, let me speak in terms that a girl with a low IQ can understand. NO.
If you haven’t seen any UGA fans scream “we’z gonna win the title this year” then you haven’t been on many AJC UGA blogs.
Not sure what Alaska has to do with this conversation but it does show the world what a low IQ you possess.
Sucks to be you.
UGA preseason number one 2008
October 24th, 2010
7:33 pm
uga’s slut
By the way, people in Alaska have higher IQs that people in GA. I know this because their school system ranks higher than GA.
Sucks to be you.
Dawg_Mike
October 24th, 2010
7:40 pm
I paid $24.99 for the broadcast. I was glad to be able to see the game, but when one is used to HD it sure makes one glad to get back to it going forward….
Re: the sideline reporter- I was wondering if anyone else has the same thoughts I do when CMR is interviewed at halftime coming off the field:
No matter who does the interview of if we are leading or trailing, he always for some reason is kind of a smart ass.
Don’t get me wrong, I am a huge CMR supporter, but I have noticed his propensity for smug/smarty/ or rude answers and wondered if it’s just me…. just saying…..
still a dawg fan
October 24th, 2010
7:53 pm
Good Win,
Glad to see Ealey run like he did last year but
we have got to do something about Vance Cuff. Maybe CMR can outfit him with a no-burn outfit because that guy has been torched all year & will be a liability down the stretch.Give someone else a chance because he does not deserve any playing time after his performance saturday night.Please CMR don’t do Florida any favors by playing him.He is becoming the Reggie Ball of our team & Florida knows it.
B5
October 24th, 2010
7:56 pm
I hate Auburn. They have the most obnoxious, mouthy fans, and I’m not sure why.
B5
October 24th, 2010
7:57 pm
UGA Preseason number one, get a life. You sure do spend a lot of time on the UGA blog! I hate Tech and Florida and the last thing I’d do is spend time on their blogs. Go find something to do!
TheItalianDawg
October 24th, 2010
8:21 pm
Hey Bill, I cant agree with you more about the terrible broadcasting crew of CSS. I must say Matt Stewart is pretty cool I like his style but the other guy Chris was annoying to say the least. putting the game on mute would have been a good option.
I dont agree with you about Verne Lundquist, I hope he wont retire until he is 90, he is awesome
Dawg Tell
October 24th, 2010
8:24 pm
Key to beat the gators is to be physical on both sides of the ball.They will win the finesse game with speed.Run the ball on offense and blitz on defense.Make every tackle count. Hit hard but hit clean!It needs to stop this year.Got to get this can not win crap out of our heads. Go Dawgs and to Hell with Florida and GT!!
Magnolia,Tx dawg
October 24th, 2010
8:40 pm
I hope some station will televise the Dawgs vs Fla. In this age of technology, why can’t I see my Dawgs play? Espn, FoxSports, and Digital TV, you suck.
CaolimbiaDawg
October 24th, 2010
8:46 pm
If Georgia could stop anybody on third down, it wouldn’t be so bad off. How many third down conversions did Kentucky have?
DawginOH
October 24th, 2010
8:52 pm
Other than the pass defense, the D is really coming along. I didn’t like how they seemed to be letting up a little towards the end, but the Dawgs got the win and that’s the important part. Good to see Ealey finally coming to life on the other side of the ball. He definitely lived up to his level of talent last night.
Is there an ideal broadcast duo out there these days? I’ve never been a fan of the guys on CBS. But I guess anyone is better than Kirk Herbstreit, right?
Go Dawgs! Beat them Gators.
WAdawg
October 24th, 2010
8:52 pm
Stop complaining! That D was awesome. Kentucky has been a 2nd half team all year and the score was actually better 44-24 prior to the last 2nd touchdown by Kentucky. They throw it all over the park and have always put up lots of points win or lose. Yes could Cuff have done better of course. Maybe he just needs to be used in Nickel situations. But that D played its heart out against a high scoring and chuck it offense. Most of the yards and points coming late in the game with score in hand. As for the 3rd quarter 3 and out, Thomas is a change of pace back and has before it it big. That 3 and out ended up being a 3rd and short, if I recall it correctly. Stop being so pessimistic and lets be optimistic.
bob leblah
October 24th, 2010
8:54 pm
UGA girl don’t worry “UGA preseason number one 2008″ is used to girls telling him to go away. He was well prepared to respond.
WAdawg
October 24th, 2010
8:55 pm
All you Old Dawgs (Graduated 30 to 40 yearsago)need to ease up. Was i disappointed when the Dawgs lost 4 in a row in the manner they did yes. But Richt made changes, after last season that we all knew were going to have growing pains. With some early season issues, these Dawgs have finally overcome and are playing like they are capable. So encourage and beleive in them, don’t discourage a bad play.
jack bull
October 24th, 2010
9:02 pm
you’re right Bill, haven’t seemed to remedy the opposing WR’s being wide the heck open a whole lot of the time!! i’m beginning to wonder if it’s a case of “old habits are hard to break”, or simply our DB’s are being taught to look into the backfield most of the time not having any idea where the receiver is, and then just react(or hope the QB makes a mistake). but dadgumit, if he happens to throw it within 3 ft of either side of guys, we’re gonna make a play on it!!!!! that’s got to get better if we want to get better..Not trying to be a downer, just simply stating the facts..
bhamdawg
October 24th, 2010
9:05 pm
Alec Ogletree did start at WR…He was also a WR in the Tennessee game, was lined up at flanker, and was used to come inside and just level the linebacker. Meanwhile, we pithed the ball and ran to the outside. Has anyone seen that hit?
Pass The Ball
October 24th, 2010
9:05 pm
I understand the need to run the ball. However, only 12 pass attempts a game? With weapons like Durham and Green we need at least 25 pass attempts a game. Give the ball to our big play makers.
ddddawg
October 24th, 2010
9:06 pm
@ Dawg Mike: I laughed at Richt’s halftime comment. “Well, nobody has the momentum now, because it’s halftime.” I don’t know if he was being sarcastic or serious, but it sure was funny as hell.
The Ghost of Wally Butts
October 24th, 2010
9:13 pm
Ulm….before our players start polishing their championship rings they have not won yet for sale on e-bay…..I would point out that our 3 game win streak is against a 2-win Tenn team, Vandy and Kentucky. I’m not drinking the Kool-Aid just yet.
Anybody here think we would have been 3-0 if our last 3 games were against the traditional “Florida-Auburn-Tech”?
We’ll finish either 6-6 or 7-5, depends upon the Tech game. We’ll head to Shreveport at best. Look on the bright side, Green will have the chance to sell another game jersey to get some case to tide him over until he becomes a zillionaire.
Cuz
October 24th, 2010
9:19 pm
Bill, Allison is hot. If it was a close game I might have been ticked but other than that it was pure eye candy.
LHardingDawg
October 24th, 2010
9:21 pm
Ealey’s going to run the ball like Robert Edwards did in 97.
tide roll
October 24th, 2010
9:22 pm
When are you cool-aid drinkers going to hold bobo and richt’s feet to the fire for not going after the talent that is Cam Newton. there’s one reason and one reason only they chose not to go after Newton. It’s the SAME reason UGA chose not to go after Homer Jordan, Charlie Ward and Sean Jones., all Georgia bred Qb(s) who led their prospective teams to NATIONAL TITLES! I used to think the problem were these “good ole boys” like Ray Goof, Dicky Clark, Neil calloway, Mike Booboo, and Stacey Searels, but the real problem are Uga fans who quietly support these same old tiresome UGA decisions. Until things change regarding the attitude of the program and its fans, you’re doomed to mediocrity and rightfully so.
Cuz
October 24th, 2010
9:22 pm
Ghost 7-5 sounds about right. Maybe the Motor CIty Bowl. Stafford can be the Grand Marshall of the Parade.
Cuz
October 24th, 2010
9:24 pm
okay if we don’t go after Cam we are idiots, If we do go after Cam we are back to being thUGA. Where do we win in this scenario?
Urban Meyer
October 24th, 2010
9:42 pm
Tim Tebow wears Cam Newton pajamas !!!
Billy Jack @ thanx cuz
October 24th, 2010
10:12 pm
Allison aint ugly….you also have a sharp eye….per my 4:37 post
Billy Jack @ cuz
October 24th, 2010
10:16 pm
When we play Awwwwbun…we assign Justin Houston as a spy on Cam…we match up well w/ the Tigers…with our team team speed and size we can make him throw the ball..(which he can’t do profeciently)…
CHDawg
October 24th, 2010
10:18 pm
What kind of person goes to other team’s boards badmouthing the home team? Have you noticed that, like a chameleon changing his colors, it is always the teams that are winning–If UF is winning they show up as Gators, if Auburn, then they are Tigers, if Tech is winning they’re Techies, if Tech is losing…then they pick the team that is winning this week. I think we have broken the code–all the aliases are St. Simons and he is still terrorizing the AJC DogBlog!
Billy Jack
October 24th, 2010
10:19 pm
Mu buddy texted me today and he said..”Cam Newton is the black Tim Tebow..”….I responded with…Cam Newton is a virgin..???
NOBODYYOUKNOW
October 24th, 2010
10:25 pm
I know, I know Tenn, Vandy, and Kentucky are not powerhouse teams. But nether is Flordia. UGA is rolling. The QB has some game experiance. J>J is back. They like winning. And I say again the dogs are due. I hope they humiliate the gators. But please CMR don’t let the whole team dance in the end zone again.
NC Dawg
October 24th, 2010
10:39 pm
What I’d llike to know is how many times does it take for KY to run a draw play giving the ball to Sanders for the DAWG’s defense to catch on and adjust? What goes on???
RxDawg
October 24th, 2010
11:09 pm
One thing to think about with the defense in the second half, when you have a lead like that you might as well take your foot off the gas so to speak. The defense goes into a conservative mode and let’s the game clock run out. But I still see where your coming from.
Eaassyy
October 24th, 2010
11:11 pm
Congrats on reposting the same thing 100 times in row Tide Troll. You win the award for all time dumbest AJC blogger. That’s right, even St Simons and and Yellow Fuzz bring more to the table than you. You can pick up your prize next week
dawgster
October 24th, 2010
11:16 pm
Just in case any of you on here didn’t know…your best bet is to not engage in posts with “Tide Roll”..i’m not sure what team he pulls for..his agenda, is if you haven’t figured it out now is that the dawgs coaching staff our…i hate to use this word…but he basically calls our staff “racist” for the life of me i don’t get him or what a sad life he has…but if you look at any of his comments and he pretty much hits all the blogs…he repeats over and over the same lines…i have asked other Bama fans to call him out as not someone that represents them, and many have done that…anyway, i’m not sure why his posts are not deleted…i know everyone has the right to say things and have your own opinion, but i believe with him, he crosses the line everytime he posts…if you have any doubts about what i’m saying look at some of the archives and his previous posts…anyway, i have already given him too much of my time…go dawgs
crap sandwich
October 24th, 2010
11:38 pm
Billy Jack, Cam Newton is a virgin? I knew it. That means Tebow steals laptops. They are so much the same aren’t they?
akitadawg
October 24th, 2010
11:40 pm
Many are missing the big picture on defense. Yeah we gave up 31, but 14 points came in the 4th quarter when the game was virtually over. The defense was on the field the whole game, not because Kentucky had six 75 five yard drives, but because the defenses handed the offense 4 short fields due to turnovers and stopping Kentucky on 4th down. Add in Boykin’s kick-off return and the defense is back on the field within 15 seconds. In the first half, the offense was scoring within 2 minutes of possession almost every time. I’ll take a defense any day that creates turnovers and puts the offense inside the opponents 50 yard 4-5 times a game. Look at our turnover margin. We are creating a hell of lot of turnovers lately on defense. Compare this defense to the ones over the last several years. I think one might see a vast improvement.
haters are skaters
October 25th, 2010
12:06 am
too many clown uga fans are criticizing the defense. things are better. they’re mixing up dif blitz packages and coverage formations. they’re creating turnovers.
turnovers were the key to the easy victory. yes, easy victory. the game was won after the dawg’s 1st possession of the 3rd qtr.
Michael
October 25th, 2010
1:17 am
Are we forgetting that we just scored an average of 42.6 points a game average ovetr the last thre games? I cdn’t care who you are playing, that’s pretty damn good n my book! If we score 42 against th Gators, which I fully expect, we will win going away! Book it! Ga 42, UF 21.
patrick
October 25th, 2010
2:00 am
CentralFLDawg
October 24th, 2010
4:59 pm
I don’t think anyone has commented…we showed nothing on offense for FL to prepare for
========================
great point and I believe that was what Bobo was trying to do. But if we rip off 10 yard runs a clip then I dont want murray passing….why would we? We would wear down the D
76-DAWG
October 25th, 2010
3:25 am
With Florida’s top three running back hurt look for them to throw the ball 40 to 50 times. Half of those throws’ will be against Cuff . I hope UGA has someone else they can play . Grantham better be ready .
Ted Striker
October 25th, 2010
3:37 am
Nice column. However I thought the analyst & play by play commentary was a step up from the horrendous TV network coverage UGA’s had to endure the last few games. Those guys couldn’t even pronounce player names a lot of the time.
I do agree that CBS coverage is far better. Vern is still pretty good. And Danielson is flat out outstanding.
Bulldog Joe
October 25th, 2010
4:38 am
# 62 nationally UGA Total Offense # 8 SEC
# 8 SEC Scoring Touchdowns
# 39 nationally UGA Scoring Offense # 5 SEC
# 1 Settling for Field Goals in SEC UGA
# 7 SEC Passing Offense Touchdowns
# 6 SEC Passing Completion Percentage
# 7 SEC Passes Completed
# 1 SEC Field Goals made
# 7 SEC Point After Touchdown
# 8 SEC Sacks of Our Quarterback
# 7 SEC 1st Down Conversions
# 12 SEC getting Defense to make Penalty for our 1st Down
# 7 SEC 3rd Down Conversions
# 8 SEC 4th Down Conversions 4 all season long
# 1 SEC Red Zone Settling for Field Goals 12
# 1 SEC Red Zone Made Field Goals 11
# 6 SEC Aaron Murray TD passes
# 30 nationally UGA Scoring Defense
# 1 SEC avg per game Rushing Defense
# 1 SEC avg per rush Rushing Defense
# 1 SEC Kick-off Coverage
# 1 SEC giving up 1st Downs Rushing
Bulldog Joe
October 25th, 2010
4:39 am
Looks to me that it is anything but our Offense that is any good
Big time?? Not
October 25th, 2010
6:16 am
Very vanilla on both sides of the ball….very frustrating. Comcast was the pits, although Alison was just fine. Will be nice to be back with Verne. oh…….four tickets, four hot dogs, four cokes looks to be back in vouge over at the north ave. trade school……….