Is swing from pessimism to optimism justified for 2011 Dogs?
Will Aaron Murray make great strides in his second season as starter? (Brant Sanderlin / AJC)
Maybe it’s the Dream Team, maybe it’s just the natural swinging of the pendulum, but some of the national media pessimism about Mark Richt’s program is starting to lift, just a little.
Take College Football News’ Brian Harbach, who earlier picked Georgia to finish ninth in the SEC in the coming season.
Now Harbach is taking another look and writes: “The more I pay attention to what Mark Richt has done this offseason, the more intrigued I become with their chances to jump up from a year of disappointment to an SEC East title.”
Harbach acknowledges that Georgia’s decline from preseason No. 1 over the past three seasons has been “clouding the perception of the program,” but putting that aside, he says, “there are more than a few reasons to be excited about UGA’s opportunity this fall and it is only fair to look at the other side of the coin to see the full picture of this Georgia team.”
One big factor in thinking the Dogs might bounce back, Harbach says, is the schedule. While a lot of folks think opening with what likely will be two Top 10 teams in Boise State and South Carolina looks pretty daunting, Harbach says “the SEC isn’t a mediocre ACC team and this isn’t some meaningless bowl game” so “you won’t see me picking Boise to beat Georgia in Georgia.”
He goes on to note that the Dogs play the Gamecocks at home and get “what most feel are the three worst teams in the SEC West (Auburn, MSU and Ole Miss).” Plus Florida has changed coaches “and Kentucky/Vanderbilt are still in the East. That looks like a pretty manageable SEC slate of games.”
Beyond the schedule, Harbach notes Aaron Murray will be back at quarterback “and while the term Sophomore Slump does exist, most players make the most improvement in their second year. Having Aaron Murray as the returning starter and in his third season at UGA is a huge plus for the Dawgs.”
Harbach takes a remarkably positive view of the Dogs on the other side of the ball, saying “the Georgia defense was actually pretty good last year … with a brand new scheme UGA had the fourth rated total defense and the fifth rated scoring defense in the SEC.” He thinks the “secondary should be very strong” and overall feels “one huge advantage Richt has going into this season is that he doesn’t need to worry about the defense.”
The offense needs attention, Harbach says, “but for some reason I am more confident about the offensive line than in past seasons” thanks to the departure of Stacy Searels, who “just wasn’t getting the job done.”
Harbach isn’t yet ready to revise his preseason estimation of where the Dogs will finish, but says, “The SEC East is wide open, any of four teams can win the division and it shouldn’t surprise anyone if any of the four do win it. When you actually break down the Georgia team it isn’t out of the question to see them having a big year.”
Overall, a pretty fair assessment of Richt’s team, though I’m not sure I’m quite as sold on the Dogs’ secondary as Harbach is.
So what do you think? Was Harbach closer to the mark picking the Dogs ninth in the conference, or is this newfound optimism justified?
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576 comments Add your comment
VAdawg
February 15th, 2011
1:43 pm
record next year: 4-8 or 5-7 unfortunately,
WIN WITH RICHT
February 15th, 2011
1:45 pm
DAWG fans have a right to optimism. 2010 was a terrible season where everything that couldgo wrong did go wrong. Signing the Dream Team is the first step back. Also, Glenn and Sturdivant returning will be huge. Hopefully, this signing class will generate positive momentum leading into 2011.
St. Clarkston
February 15th, 2011
1:45 pm
Should be better. Murray is a talented qb. King or Ealy have to get their acts together because
playing a redshirt freshman and true freshman at running back is a recipe for disaster.
WIN WITH RICHT
February 15th, 2011
1:46 pm
WDE is short for Wimpy Delusional Eggsucker.
WDE
February 15th, 2011
1:47 pm
WIN WITH RICHT is an oxymoron.
Lindsey
February 15th, 2011
1:51 pm
Its always great to be positive about our program, GO DAWGS!!
kerryb
February 15th, 2011
1:58 pm
It’s funny that Auburn fans fail to realize that they are now the 4th best team in the west and wanting to argue the point by saying that they signed the SEVENTH best class behind UGA not THIRD. You fail to realize that the SEVENTH best class will not get you back to the top when you lose ALL of your star players and Bama, LSU, and ARK (except the QB) did not.
RedPantsDawg
February 15th, 2011
1:59 pm
Is Mark Richt still the head coach? If so, I have zero expectations related to the team this year.
kerryb
February 15th, 2011
1:59 pm
Right now I would probably put Auburn behind Miss St. So they are really the 5th best team in the west now.
WDE
February 15th, 2011
2:00 pm
“It’s funny that Auburn fans fail to realize that they are now the 4th best team in the west ”
Huh, we Auburn fans had no idea a game had been played yet.
“saying that they signed the SEVENTH best class behind UGA not THIRD.”
Not according to ESPN.
http://insider.espn.go.com/college-football/recruiting/classrankings?&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fcollege-football%2frecruiting%2fclassrankings
“You fail to realize that the SEVENTH best class will not get you back to the top when you lose ALL of your star players and Bama, LSU, and ARK (except the QB) did not.”
Third, ma’am. We lost all of our star players to other teams????? Huh, news to us.
Do you always get your “facts” from stupidville?
WDE
February 15th, 2011
2:01 pm
“Right now I would probably put Auburn behind Miss St. So they are really the 5th best team in the west now.’
14-0, loser. SUCK IT!
kerryb
February 15th, 2011
2:01 pm
People on this blog have to realize that idiots making all of these negative comments about Richt and the coaches are not REAL UGA fans. Most REAL Uga fans that I know are not making idiotic comments like that.
kerryb
February 15th, 2011
2:01 pm
5th best team now. BITE ME!!!!
WDE
February 15th, 2011
2:02 pm
kerryb
Since your team went 6-7 and didn’t beat one ranked team, how does it feel to be at the bottom of the SEC?
WDE
February 15th, 2011
2:02 pm
“5th best team now. BITE ME!!!!”
The season hasn’t started, ma’am. SUCK IT.
WDE
February 15th, 2011
2:02 pm
“Most REAL Uga fans that I know are not making idiotic comments like that.’
Uh, you should re-read your own comments, ma’am.
Shrimp N Grits
February 15th, 2011
2:03 pm
The d line worries me. Nobody is proven there. Secondary will be much improved. Commings and Boykin at the corners. Ogletree and Hamilton at the safties. It all starts with pressure from the trenches. The first two games are crucial to where this team can go. I think you can see the fire to win those two games by looking at the winter workouts. If the players are complaing about the workouts, they must be working! So jump back on board all you fair weather fans. And please do not pay Bradley or Schultz any attention.
Go Dawgs!
George
February 15th, 2011
2:03 pm
You have to wonder why Georgia continues to lose more games than the previous season, year after year after year under Coach Mark Richt.
It’s hard to believe Richt can change the direction, because over the last 3 seasons, none of his ideas have worked. You went from a 10 win season to 9, from 9 to 8, from 8 to 6 wins in 2010, so a 5 win season is up next.
Richt’s not capable of changing the direction.
DIT
February 15th, 2011
2:04 pm
I can’t blame WDE for pounding his chest. Auburn is NC. Can’t take that away from them. I would love to be in that position as a Dawg. If we were NC how many Dawg people would be doing the same as WDE…. answer, all of us.
I really don’t know how this coming season will go. Personally it’s too far off in the distance to worry about it now. I just hope that the Seniors get their heads out of their tail ends and show some leadership in the off-season conditioning program. We need to be a lot stronger and show more indurance than the past couple of years. The seniors need to set the example and ride the underclassmen like no other Senior class has done before. And hope that the defense gets it together this year.
kerryb
February 15th, 2011
2:04 pm
The real experts are on Rivals who had AU 7th.
WDE
February 15th, 2011
2:05 pm
“The real experts are on Rivals who had AU 7th.”
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!
kerryb
February 15th, 2011
2:05 pm
WDE, you can tell me how it feels to be at the bottom after being at the top next season.
WDE
February 15th, 2011
2:06 pm
DIT
If you read through my comments you’d see where I was said that I hope UGA does well this season.
WDE
February 15th, 2011
2:06 pm
“you can tell me how it feels to be at the bottom after being at the top next season.”
Oh, because you can see the future?
WDE
February 15th, 2011
2:07 pm
“The real experts are on Rivals who had AU 7th.’
Last time I checked, ESPN was the leader in sports news/commentary.
kerryb
February 15th, 2011
2:07 pm
It’s funny that Auburn fans fail to realize that they are now the 4th best team in the west ”
Huh, we Auburn fans had no idea a game had been played yet.
WDE, thats a funny statement since your always telling UGA fans how their team is going to do next season.
WDE
February 15th, 2011
2:08 pm
kerryb
Scout.com has us at number 2. Are they full of crap too?
http://recruiting.scout.com/a.z?s=73&p=9&c=14&yr=2011
WDE
February 15th, 2011
2:09 pm
“WDE, thats a funny statement since your always telling UGA fans how their team is going to do next season.’
I said that UGA should win the East this year.
George
February 15th, 2011
2:09 pm
In 2009, Richt thought having a QB in there who had been around the program for years would work out great, Richt was wrong as Cox went 7-5.
In 2010, Richt thought having a freshman QB in there surrounded by lots of experienced guys would work out great, Richt was wrong as Murray went 6-7.
kerryb
February 15th, 2011
2:10 pm
ESPN calls it itself the leader because they have a ton of channels. Doesn’t make the people on there automatically gifted and know everything. Most of the year they had UF rated #5 in recruiting when most everyone else had them between 15-19.
WDE
February 15th, 2011
2:10 pm
kerryb
ESPN and Scout rank Auburn at 3 and 2. Are you saying that only Rivals is a good source because they ranked Auburn 7?
You’re drowning right now.
DIT
February 15th, 2011
2:10 pm
WDE – I did see that and appreciate it. I was actually on your side. You have the right to be proud, you guys are the NC’s. I have nothing against Auburn. Your guys question; Can the person stepping into Cam’s shoes do just that. I’m not sure what your defense will be like next year.
As for my Dawgs, as you got a kick out of earlier, too many HOLES in the defense and offense. Leadership out of the senior class needs to be very strong were all the layers can feed from. We have lacked leadership on and oof the field by the Seniors for some time.
George
February 15th, 2011
2:11 pm
Richt think getting Jenkins at NT & Crowell at RB will do the trick in 2011.
Let’s hope it works out better than Richt’s hopes for the last 3 seasons, as everything Richt thought SHOULD happen, didn’t.
WDE
February 15th, 2011
2:12 pm
“ESPN calls it itself the leader because they have a ton of channels. ‘
No, they’re the leader because of who works for them. PROFESSIONALS.
“Doesn’t make the people on there automatically gifted and know everything.’
It does when 90% of them played college/professional sports and also coached in the big leagues.
“Most of the year they had UF rated #5 in recruiting when most everyone else had them between 15-19.
Evidence please.
kerryb
February 15th, 2011
2:12 pm
WDE, I always fail to understand why you ALWAYS end up at sometime on a UGA blog nearly everyday. Is there not an Auburn love fest blog somewhere for you to go to?
DIT
February 15th, 2011
2:12 pm
sorry, players, not layers….. big ops
George
February 15th, 2011
2:12 pm
Don’t blame you guys for discussing Auburn off topic, lot more interesting than Georgia.
George
February 15th, 2011
2:14 pm
Why does Georgia keep losing more games every year under Richt than the previous year?
WDE
February 15th, 2011
2:14 pm
DIT
Understood and I wasn’t throwing insults at you.
“Can the person stepping into Cam’s shoes do just that.
Nope and there isn’t one player in the country that could ever do that. But, I like Barret Trotter and Kiel Frasier.
“I’m not sure what your defense will be like next year.’
Me neither.
“We have lacked leadership on and oof the field by the Seniors for some time.”
Well, it also comes down to coaching as well.
WDE
February 15th, 2011
2:15 pm
“I always fail to understand why you ALWAYS end up at sometime on a UGA blog nearly everyday. Is there not an Auburn love fest blog somewhere for you to go to?’
So why can’t you answer my simple question about ESPN/Scout vs. Rivals?
I ended up here because Auburn was mentioned in the column. Make sense?
George
February 15th, 2011
2:16 pm
WDE/Kerry/DIT = Same person, talking to himself
Ed
February 15th, 2011
2:17 pm
George, great question, you’re very intelligent.
WDE
February 15th, 2011
2:17 pm
“Don’t blame you guys for discussing Auburn off topic, lot more interesting than Georgia.’
Auburn was put through the ringer by Tubberville/Auburn athletic department in 07. When they brought in Chizik, he was mocked and made fun of. Then, he brought in fantastic coaches and started recruiting big time against Saban. It’s worked.
The thing that makes Auburn different is control and discipline. Chizik has full control over that team and his players respect him. He doesn’t throw them under the bus and goes to war with anyone who disrespects his players.
Rick
February 15th, 2011
2:17 pm
Hi George,
It appears you’re asking the question no one wants to answer.
kerryb
February 15th, 2011
2:18 pm
George, we are just ignoring the stupid comments you keep making.
WDE
February 15th, 2011
2:18 pm
“WDE/Kerry/DIT = Same person, talking to himself’
Yeah, that makes about as much sense as marching 96 yards…….for a field goal in Memphis.
WDE
February 15th, 2011
2:18 pm
“George, we are just ignoring the stupid comments you keep making.’
Yep.
Wallace
February 15th, 2011
2:19 pm
George is clearly the mosty intelligent person on this blog. Great stuff George, really enjoy your posts.
kerryb
February 15th, 2011
2:19 pm
Auburn is just sooooo perfect. I have just have one name for that Bobby Lowder.
DIT
February 15th, 2011
2:19 pm
I agree with coaching, but you need players to step up into that leadership role and take charge, set an example for the other players. Pollock was the last one that did that for UGA. I think CMR is a good coach. His problem now is that he has gotten himself into a deep hole that will be hard to dig himself out of. He will not get to 10 wins this coming season and he needs to to keep his job.
Well, I guess you can say coaching, particularly this coming year because he will have to give his best effeort to get to 10 wins. I hope he does it. Football/SEC needs classy men like him. However, class alone will not win games.