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
WIN WITH RICHT
February 15th, 2011
3:45 pm
Wimpy Delusional Eggsucker
When was the last time you starred on Jerry Springer?
Seltzer
February 15th, 2011
3:45 pm
Guys stop it with WDE – I come on here to blog about football and read these posts.It’s like reading people posting with a 1st graders IQ. Let’s get back to football please!
WDE
February 15th, 2011
3:45 pm
“When was the last time you starred on Jerry Springer?”
How does one “star” on Jerry Springer?
WDE
February 15th, 2011
3:46 pm
Seltzer
In the beginning, I praised UGA football and wished you guys well. When I got attacked and name called, I let loose.
I’ll gladly discuss football with you or anyone else.
Seltzer
February 15th, 2011
3:47 pm
Fair enough!
WIN WITH RICHT
February 15th, 2011
3:48 pm
Wimpy Delusional Eggsucker
You take out your teeth and chewing tobacker and french kiss your sister while a tornado hits your trailer park in Alabama.
Seltzer
February 15th, 2011
3:49 pm
Tell me when the real football talk begins. Good grief.
WDE
February 15th, 2011
3:49 pm
“Fair enough!”
I think UGA will do just fine this year. The East is down and there are only two “ok” teams in the East. USC is not that great and like every Spurrier team, they will find a way to lose. Yeah, they may beat a good team but then they will turn around and lose the week after.
UGA has a lot of talent but it comes down to coaching.
WDE
February 15th, 2011
3:50 pm
“You take out your teeth and chewing tobacker and french kiss your sister while a tornado hits your trailer park in Alabama.”
You sure do know a lot about trailer parks, inbreeding and tornado’s, 6-7er.
WDE
February 15th, 2011
3:51 pm
LOSE WITH RICHT
Look, I’m sorry Nick Fairley made you wet your pants, cry and have nightmares. With that said, it’s time to move on and get some medical help.
how2fish
February 15th, 2011
3:52 pm
WDE I have a question about your OL for this coming year…I have not done any research just wondering how many returning starters are projected to return? And how many positions will be filled with guys that have a year or more in the system…that is I think the most important piece of the Auburn puzzle to solve going into this year.
Seltzer
February 15th, 2011
3:54 pm
I think UGA will finish 3rd this year. Maybe win 8 and Richt will be out as coach. Not sure who they have that will replace him. Not sure who will come over and take over. If they somehow how beat Boise & SC, Again somehow, it could turn out ot be a surprising year. I’ve held my breath for too long with this group so I just don’t expect too much this coming year.
I keep hearing that y’all will be down, but I also know that the past couple of years have been good recruiting years as well. Can’t replace a Newton, ask UF about Tebow, two guys that can’t be replaced. Is your QB going to be able to come in and get the job done and how’s your O-line look?
WDE
February 15th, 2011
3:54 pm
“I have not done any research just wondering how many returning starters are projected to return?”
Not sure exactly how many we’ve lost. I know we lost our best players to graduation. We did recruit the best offensive line in the country and we have the best offensive line coach.
I’m not going to pretend we’ll go undefeated but I don’t think we will go 7-5 or worse like some people are saying. In fact, I’ll wait til Phil Steele makes his predictions because he was spot on with Auburn this past year.
bulldawg4life
February 15th, 2011
3:54 pm
GEORGE HAS GAS
Winston Wolfe
February 15th, 2011
3:55 pm
Geez people…..don’t you know when you’re whipped? WDE is making most of you look just plain stupid and you can’t even see it……and I’m a godam Georgia fan!
PMC
February 15th, 2011
3:55 pm
Way WAY WAY too soon. Let’s see what the results of the new S&C program yeilds in August before we go thinking anything is turned around yet.
The walls aren’t even primed yet and people are liking the new color already.
WDE
February 15th, 2011
3:56 pm
“WDE is making most of you look just plain stupid and you can’t even see it
It’s really not hard to do.
Seltzer
February 15th, 2011
3:57 pm
Plus I hear people talking about LSU. Is it just me, I don’t see it. I see Bama being better, even with their loses. Saban is a heck of a coach. Gotta give him that. CMR is a good coach as well if he goes back to coaching like he did in his 1st 6 seasons. Hopefully the urgency has been turned up on him. I would like to see him stick around a long while, but he needs to win 10 this year and I don’t see it.
WDE
February 15th, 2011
3:58 pm
“Is your QB going to be able to come in and get the job done and how’s your O-line look?”
Not sure but I do know that Trotter is the quarterback. Frasier won’t be competing because he won’t be enrolled until summer.
UGA will easily beat Boise.
WDE
February 15th, 2011
3:59 pm
“I keep hearing that y’all will be down, but I also know that the past couple of years have been good recruiting years as well.’
Yeah, try not to pay attention to those people. We have had two top 5 classes in a row which is excellent.
Hey, have you heard about TN and NCAA trouble?
WDE
February 15th, 2011
4:00 pm
“Saban is a heck of a coach.”
Yeah, but Saban suffers from “inconsistency.” If you look at his years at LSU you’ll see what I’m talking about.
how2fish
February 15th, 2011
4:00 pm
WDE yeah that was my point I’d be real cautious of trying to make a lot of predictions..knowing how much a OL is relied on in the SEC and how no matter how talented freshmen OL men are it takes a couple of years to get them to SEC caliber..well OL and DL too..we forget Cody and Fairley were JUCO players with a couple of years to develop. I think your OL will have greater challenges than the DL simply due to your linebackers ability.
Seltzer
February 15th, 2011
4:01 pm
“UGA will easily beat Boise.”
I wish I shared your view. SC could be embarrassing. I hate playing them early in the season.
What has everyone heard about that new big recruit(Clowney?) Not going to be able to get into school because of his grades? That would stink for SC.
Seltzer
February 15th, 2011
4:03 pm
I have not heard about UT’s NCAA trouble. That would not be good for UT in trying to rebuild there program.
Seltzer
February 15th, 2011
4:04 pm
Is Kentucky suppose to be any good this coming year?
WDE
February 15th, 2011
4:04 pm
“I have not heard about UT’s NCAA trouble.”
Yeah, UT may end up on probation. I was talking to a TN friend and he says that their head coach may end up getting canned.
WDE
February 15th, 2011
4:04 pm
“Is Kentucky suppose to be any good this coming year?’
No
Seltzer
February 15th, 2011
4:05 pm
WOW, that would suck. Dooley is a good man. I wonder what he did that would cause him his job.
WDE
February 15th, 2011
4:05 pm
NCAA to Smack Tennessee, Lane Kiffin
http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2011/02/02/ncaa-to-smack-tennessee-lane-kiffin/?ncid=txtlnkusspor00000002
how2fish
February 15th, 2011
4:05 pm
WDE UT’s basketball coach may get canned correct, my understanding about the football problems were all from the Lame’s reign?
Seltzer
February 15th, 2011
4:05 pm
Good, that’s one team that UGA might be able to beat……..
fla dawg
February 15th, 2011
4:06 pm
gadawgs7….let’s take it a couple of steps further. if we hadn’t have lost any games then we would have been undefeated and won the national championship. let’s stop with the woulda, coulda, shoulda, everybody can play that game.
WDE
February 15th, 2011
4:07 pm
how2fish
Not sure. You may be correct about that because Lane Kiffin is the subject in that article. Dooley is a good coach and I hope TN turns it around.
Seltzer
February 15th, 2011
4:08 pm
From Lane’s time there. That would make sense. From what I know about Dooley, he is a straight arrow so I would be surprised if he did anything wrong.
Buckeye
February 15th, 2011
4:09 pm
Now now SEC boys. Play nice with each other. No game today.
WDE
February 15th, 2011
4:09 pm
Seltzer
Lane is from the Petey the cheaty school of cheating.
Joel
February 15th, 2011
4:11 pm
Hey WDE/Seltzer= same guy
Still talking to yourself?
WDE
February 15th, 2011
4:12 pm
Joel
You have the IQ of a carrot.
Seltzer
February 15th, 2011
4:12 pm
Lane is from the Petey the cheaty school of cheating.
Got that right. I would not be shocked if he was out of College football altogether in 5 years because of his antics. If feel for So. Cal. They don’t know what trouble he is about to get them into.
Good one Buckeye. It was getting way out of hand there for awhile. I’m glad it’s back on football.
Joel
February 15th, 2011
4:12 pm
Oceans are blue
Red
February 15th, 2011
4:13 pm
I disagree Joel
Seltzer
February 15th, 2011
4:13 pm
Joel go get bent! It’s called a civil conversation, obviously something you know nothing about!
AltamahaDawg
February 15th, 2011
4:13 pm
WDE, it’s one thing to carry on a conversation. Even in a rivals sports blog, although for the life of me I don’t see why anyone has the time in thier life for that..but sure. You know if somebody were funny, or interesting, I can see them mixing it up a bit.
But come on man, IF all you do is cut and paste what others say, then take your little one liner shotat it….did you really have anything to say? You haven’t added a thing. You never do.
Elkie
February 15th, 2011
4:13 pm
Oceans are colorless, seriously.
Buckeye
February 15th, 2011
4:13 pm
I think everyone needs to take 5 and go check out Anne V on http://www.si.com.
Joel
February 15th, 2011
4:13 pm
Most oceans I have seen are blue
WDE
February 15th, 2011
4:13 pm
Seltzer
Joel seems to think that we are the same person. Not sure why so many paranoid dawg fans reside on this blog.
IQ
February 15th, 2011
4:14 pm
Oceans are blue, seriously?
Carrot
February 15th, 2011
4:15 pm
I can assure oceans most certainly are not blue
WDE
February 15th, 2011
4:15 pm
“But come on man, IF all you do is cut and paste what others say, then take your little one liner shotat it….did you really have anything to say? You haven’t added a thing. You never do.’
So why are you addressing me? Obviously you want me to address you or you wouldn’t have asked me a question.