Dogs drawing mixed predictions in SEC race
If Aaron Murray can lead the Dogs past South Carolina, just how far can Mark Richt's team go? (Brant Sanderlin / AJC)
Amid all the speculation about Jim Tressel being toast and Will Muschamp’s Gators being toasted (giving new meaning to the “Florida Way”!), some college football observers have been paying a bit of attention to Mark Richt’s 2011 Dogs, who seem to have become something of a dark horse favorite in the SEC East.
As I wrote last week, Georgia has a high-risk start to its season that could pay off big, opening with Boise State and South Carolina. And while the game against the Broncos has the higher profile, the meeting in Athens with the Gamecocks could have more impact on UGA’s season, since a win there would put the Dogs in the driver’s seat in a division where Florida and Tennessee are rebuilding and Kentucky and Vandy are Kentucky and Vandy.
Barrett Sallee of College Football News says that with “the quarterback issues at South Carolina, the offensive ineptitude that Florida showed in its spring game, and the way Georgia’s schedule shapes up, the SEC East is there for Georgia’s taking. If the Bulldogs beat South Carolina the second week of the season, they absolutely have to get to Atlanta. They don’t play Arkansas, LSU and Alabama this season — the three primary contenders in the SEC West. Plus they get Auburn and Mississippi State, the next two in line on the other side of the division, at home. Sure, the Florida game in Jacksonville is always a tough matchup for the Bulldogs, but even if they lose that game, it’s hard to find two more losses on the schedule, provided that they get past the Gamecocks.”
Loading ...That’s a fairly underwhelming assessment considering that as poorly as Georgia played overall last season the Dogs still managed to finish third in the SEC East.
We haven’t done a poll in a while here, so let’s see if Blawg readers are as pessimistic as those at the CBS site, or whether you’re thinking the CFN view is closer to the mark. Feel free to vote in the poll, comment, or do both.
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398 comments Add your comment
truedawg
April 26th, 2011
11:10 am
been there, I agree he is good, but with what he has to work with, he will have to leave, to have true success. but to say he’s a better coach? how do you measure that?
Also I agree, this is the measure of CMR, win 10 and beat one of the first 2 atleast, and beat UF or I see a new coach IMO not aying I agree or disagree, just saying.
DawginLex
April 26th, 2011
11:10 am
D A Double UG,
I know houston made that play against Tech but even me, one of the biggest kool aid drinkers around can’t defend this guy.
2 days before the draft and gets caught smoking weed on a drug test???
Are you kidding me??
Do you really believe that is the only time he was doing it?
Wasn’t he suspended to start the 2009 season for a “violaton of team rules”? We know what that was now don’t we.
I can’t defend it.
Timbodog
April 26th, 2011
11:14 am
DawginLex,
Smoking weed so close to the draft day is not a smart decision…but it’s not really gonna affect anything.
And I hate to tell you, but upwards of 90% of the college players have done it at one point or another during their college careers.
50% or more do it regularly.
AltamahaDawg
April 26th, 2011
11:14 am
Here is what going to happen at media days. The coaches and sport writers that know this stuff infinetely deeper than any of us will be saying:
1. Murray is All-SEC.
2. UGA will rebound and challenge for the East.
3. Auburn, replacing its entire team will be favored in very few contest.
4. Miss State will be very good FOR MissState, but Still picked 4th in the West
NOBODY is going to say Miss State is coming to Athens and wins. NOBODY is going to call Auburn a toss-up. They will ALL predict UGA a winner in those 2 games.
I’m just saying, what do you know that the coaches and media of the Southeastern Conference don’t?
Timbodog
April 26th, 2011
11:15 am
I can guarantee you that his weed smoking is NOT what would have caused anyone to describe him as a “cancer,” unless he was doing it ALL THE TIME.
truedawg
April 26th, 2011
11:16 am
What a list i can make about the last few years of players that were more interested in what they did instead of the team. Houston was one of them, even without the drugs, was still never a dawg.. I’d name more, but look at the reaction when teh team was loosing, who was upste, and who didn’t seem to care, just made sure they looked good for that NFL career.
I miss ERK!!
Vdawg
April 26th, 2011
11:16 am
The east was right there for the taking last year and we far from took anything. we WILL find out if we have really made positive change this year.
Reverend Richt
April 26th, 2011
11:19 am
Everything is in place for UGA to claim the East. However, the problem is that coaching thing. If the Reverend Richt doesn’t up his coaching, it’s not going to matter.
G'Vegas Dawg
April 26th, 2011
11:19 am
The one thing that I haven’t heard mention of the health of our players. IF we stay healty, we can beat anybody on our schedule (Yes, ANYBODY). But, in so many key positions we are very young or just have no backups. If Murray goes down, we’re toast. If Ogletree goes down, we’re toast. If we have another injury on the O-line, we might as well forfiet the remainder of the season (even the nerds). I do think that if we stay healty, AND we get the help from Crowell and one or two of the other dream teamers, we can beat anybody that we play.
trupert
April 26th, 2011
11:19 am
Auburn Logic.
So, Juston Houston failed a drug test. If they didn’t catch him with it in his hand and if they don’t have vidoe of him smoking a joint and his DNA from such joint, then he has never smoked pot and the failed test and story are surely false. I don’t understand why anybody is talking about it.
dawg_doo
April 26th, 2011
11:21 am
Wake up UGA fans! Similar to past experiences, DREAM TEAM recruits will NOT equal on field wins at UGA.
SC will own UGA like they did last year except this year the score will reflect the physical domination that SC displayed on O and D.
Look for a 7-4 season (bet there will be more arrests than wins) and CMR being shown the door.
King Saban
April 26th, 2011
11:22 am
The national championship game will be played when LSU visits Alabama in Tuscaloosa in November. Everything else is irrelevant and should Georgia win the east it would be pointless. Big bad Bama would just mercilessly pound them into the Georgia Dome astro turf.
Mark Ingram gone? Trent the Beast Richardson replaces him along with Eddie Lacy 7.3yds/carry last year and dynamic 5 star rb recruit Dee Hart who set the Florida high school record with 50 tds in a season and was the U.S. Army high school all american game MVP.
Julio Jones? About 5 former 4 star rated wide receivers vying to replace him.
Marcel Dareus? No. 1 overall national JUCO recruit defensive tackle Jesse Williams 6′4,330 -600 lb bench press replaces him.
9 starters back on defense including all linebackers and the entire secondary 2 deep, 4 of 5 O-lineman back, 3 stud tailbacks, and 2 former EA11 qbs – one a 5 star qb out of high school- vying for the qb job.
Loaded- loaded-loaded! Alabama should be sued for having so many linebackers- about 8 of them that could start anywhere in the SEC. Be afraid. Be very afraid.
AltamahaDawg
April 26th, 2011
11:25 am
50% or more of college football players smoke pot on a regular basis? Really? Based on what research? Kind of shocking considering that its less than 20% in the general college population, and about 30% in all young adults. How would you account for such a spike in regular use among college football player, given they would be restricted WAY more than the average 20 yrs old?
Buckeye
April 26th, 2011
11:27 am
DawginLex,
2011 games will count. The Sugar Bowl will count. 2010 wins are likely to be vacated. Oh well, the Wisconsin loss and the Michigan win will be the only games remembered anyway.
Juston Hughston – don’t see that news anywhere. Where am I not looking?
dinkdunk
April 26th, 2011
11:28 am
No time to read all of these brilliant posts but I do agree with one of the early ones that said something about “no wonder the rest of the league laughs at us (UGA).” High five for that.
puppydawg
April 26th, 2011
11:29 am
Goes without saying that we beat GT again but after last year, all other games are toss-ups for me. Coastal Carolina and New Mexico State should be easy wins but if we can lose to Colorado, we can lose to anyone.
DawginLex
April 26th, 2011
11:30 am
foxsports
Dawg doo, 7-4? You must have gone to Auburn. We play 12 games plus a bowl if eligible.
Auburn math 7+4=12 or 13 if you have extra toes like some of those Bama babies do
bigdawg
April 26th, 2011
11:30 am
I believe it was Tommy Tuberville who said
“a dog don’t bark at a parked car, if people are barking about us we’re movin”
or something along those lines
that fits UGA right now
Tide roll
April 26th, 2011
11:30 am
Bill, Has SANFORD SEAY qualified? what a stud! He and Malcolm Mitchell should provide immediate help at Wide Receiver.
AltamahaDawg
April 26th, 2011
11:31 am
Yes, King, good thing you guys got rid of all those guys who were holding you back from the Dome last year.
shankit
April 26th, 2011
11:31 am
King Saban
If Georgia perhaps should meet Bama for the SEC,
and if Georgia perhaps upsets Bama, Please, Please
do not poison our hedges.
Also, heard on your illustrious Paul Fienbaum show,
that ya’ll have mounted your statue of King Saban on wheels?
Also, heard on your radio talk show, the call in from some
disgruntled Bama fan, criticizing the committee for not picking
Bama for the NCAA basketball tournament, cause they was
prejudice against the South. Fienbaum reminded them Georgia
and Tennessee were picked over Bama, and last account he had
both of them were from the South.
Ya’ll have some real fans ya’ll should really be proud of.
Timbodog
April 26th, 2011
11:32 am
Altamaha,
Honest question: how old are you?
saban
April 26th, 2011
11:32 am
Dawgs finished late year with a loss to Central Florida. This year they start out with a 50 point beatdown by Boise State and a 30 point demolition by South Carolina. Maybe wins over Central Florida and Vanderbilt is in the cards. The Coastal Carolina game maybe very, very close.
Gary
April 26th, 2011
11:33 am
How do you come off last season and win the east. You two best receivers are gone. You do not have a running game. The defense has not figured out the new system and we still lack the quality of players for it to work. While oppening with Boise does not impact the east loosing that game will set a bad tone for the season. Junkyard, it is going to be a long dramatic season for the dawgs but it will have way more to do with decisions in the office that what happens on the field. We loose to Boise, USC, and Miss St. and Richt gets fired. Anything else is just foolish hope.
Dawg Tired
April 26th, 2011
11:34 am
Won’t know until we play the games, but I would rather be playing Boise State and South Carolina (real football) than two towns in Ohio.
bigdawg
April 26th, 2011
11:34 am
BSU-toss-up
SC-toss-up
CC-win
@OleMiss-win
MisSt.-win
@UT-win
@vandy-win
UF-toss-up
NMSt-win
Auburn-win
UK-win
GT-win
SECCG vs Bama-loss
somewhere between 9-4 and 11-2
AltamahaDawg
April 26th, 2011
11:34 am
At the risk of being pelted with rock and garbage, I actually agree with Tide Roll. I look forward to watching that Seay kid. His high school number never got the attention I thought they deserved.
PB
April 26th, 2011
11:35 am
Boise State 42-13
Richt is booed halfway through the 4th qtr as the lil dawgs are outmatched in every aspect.
4th qtr. 12:00 – Dawg fans begin to cope and tell themselves that “it’s not a conf. game so it doesn’t matter.” And repeatedly say that to themselves and anyone around that will listen hoping others are coping the same way.
Croud chants “fire Richt, fire Richt,” as the clock ticks 0:00………
Richt cries in the post-game interview about how he has no idea how they just shredded his team.
Boise State goes on to destroy every other team they play.
The BCS fails to produce a real national champ for the 13th year in a row. AQ fans watch the BCS NC bowl and are sheepish enough to believe they just watched a Championship game. The Elite continue to tell these AQ fans they are producing a real champ and insist on the legitimacy! AQ fans continue to like the system because they are dumb sheep that believe everything they are told by rich elite and government. The government continues to do syphilis testing in the south.
saban
April 26th, 2011
11:35 am
Shouldn`t have said a victory over Central Florida. To play Central Florida again the dawgs will have to play well enough to play in the Odor Eaters Classic in Washington D.C. in a bowl game.
Timbodog
April 26th, 2011
11:36 am
Also, I’m basing my definition of “regularly” on that which would be enough for it to stay in your system to show up in a drug test: about once a month or so. And yeah, trust me: it’s around 50% with today’s players.
Kids today treat it as no big deal. It’s more casual than drinking a beer.
If you think it’s a big deal, then you’re probably an old guy or never been an athlete.
trupert
April 26th, 2011
11:39 am
I see we have another Bamer fan already counting the SEC trophy as Alabamas. How did that work out last year? What was it, I can’t remember, did Alabama finish third or was it fourth in the West?
Alabama will again finish behind both LSU and Arkansas, so Y’all don’t need to worry about Richt beating Saban in the SECCG.
Saban is only one short year away from feeling the heat, the hot seat, that is.
86 Dawg
April 26th, 2011
11:39 am
Don’t be stupid “puppydawg” … to assume we’ll beat GT, and ALL of our other games are toss-ups is plain idiotic. They had no D, 4 turnovers (1 that our D scored a TD on) in the game last year, and they still ran up-and-down the field on us. If you think our D gets better, then theirs has nowhere to go but up too.
Based on the first 3 meetings vs GT under its new coaching regime the 2011 game is NO LOCK for either school. Good for the rivalry, bad for our Dawgs. In fact, this is probably the biggest “toss-up” game on our schedule based on those first 3 meetings. We haven’t lost in ATL in a long time, but that can’t happen 4ever….
AltamahaDawg
April 26th, 2011
11:40 am
Old enough to have grown up in the 60s,70. and attend college in the early 80’s. Why, YOU going to fill me in on pot use in college? I don’t think so.
Now, how old are you?
Those are real stats from real sources, and I would say that in my experience about 30% is pretty fair. Conversely, you completely made up that over 50% of college football player use pot regularly. Did you not?
Timbodog
April 26th, 2011
11:41 am
You have a point, 86Dawg, but I’m more worried about Miss State than Tech.
DawginLex
April 26th, 2011
11:41 am
Boise will lose to UGA and the Experts will say “It is a down year for Boise”. Funny how the down years only happen when they actually play someone……………..
Todd
April 26th, 2011
11:42 am
The OL looks like the biggest concern to me, I’m assuming pot-head Crowell will take advantage of the opportunity given to him. Just too much talent wasted through the years, their is NFL caliber talent all over the place for the Dawgs. It’s put up or shut up time. I’ll be there Sept.3rd, I’m rooting for Richt. I think Mcgarrity is a blowass, I would have have fired him on the spot for accepting UF’s call wondering about the availablity of Muschamp(Dawgs looked into it first).
trupert
April 26th, 2011
11:43 am
Funny watching South Carolina fans act like they’ve never been there and done that before.
Actually, it’s understandible, because they never have been there before.
broken hearted dawg
April 26th, 2011
11:43 am
If I’ve learned anything at all from CMR, it is this: Hope for the best but prepare for the worst. We should be able to come up with 6-8 wins but no more and certainly not enough to save Richt’s job.
DawginLex
April 26th, 2011
11:43 am
The Tech games with Gailey were always close for the most part except for 2002. Even 2007 started out with us behind.
86 Dawg
April 26th, 2011
11:44 am
That goes for you too “bigdawg” …
And “Dawg in Lex” …. I agree that JH is an idiot, but you gotta let it go my man. It’s getting a little creepy how much you’ve obsesssed on this blog about it.
He’s gone from the dawg family (and good for that) since he was obviously a time bomb waiting to explode.
Just let him be …..
Timbodog
April 26th, 2011
11:44 am
I did, but mine come from experience from RECENT college.
Stats (even “official” ones) are pulled from thin air, big guy. Hate to tell you the “Stat Fairy” isn’t real, but it’s true.
My point is, let’s not grill Houston for (gasp!) smoking weed when I can guarantee you there are 30-40 guys sitting in that locker room who would fail a urine test right now.
The 80s was a long time ago, Chief. Weed is MUCH more prevalent. Your stats are way off. Step inside any dorm room and you can’t throw a rock without finding a kid who hasn’t smoked weed in the last month.
DawginLex
April 26th, 2011
11:45 am
Ok 86, i’ll take a breath.
Weird thing is, he will still get drafted and I will still pull for him.
He is a DAWG afterall
Charlie Hayes
April 26th, 2011
11:46 am
The same feelings were present in 2005 with DJ Shockley taking over at QB. Everyone was nervous and hoping for just a decent season. What happened? They won the SEC! Repeat this year! I will be present again (just in the Dome this year) to chant “Overrated, Overrated, Overrated” to Boise State! Go Dawgs!
Timbodog
April 26th, 2011
11:46 am
DawginLex,
It’ll be legal in a few years anyway…
Ace
April 26th, 2011
11:47 am
UGA will be worse this year than last. Freefall.
shankit
April 26th, 2011
11:47 am
Fire Ritch.
Hire Chizik, or Saban, or Petrino, or Tressel, or Kiffin, or Fulmer,
or one of the Bowdens, or ———
on second thought, let’s keep Mark.
Deja Vu Delusions
April 26th, 2011
11:48 am
Here we go again! (rolling of eyes) Did you just copy and paste this column from last year and just add Boise State? If Georgia finishes 3rd in the East it will be a good season.
86 Dawg
April 26th, 2011
11:48 am
“D in L” …..
If GT had PJs O during the Gailey run (with their D holding us in check many years) CMR would have a losing or .500 record vs. Tech.
We beat GT during the Gailey years b/c of …. Gailey. The man simply is NOT a good coach, and GT was able to have winning records each year b/c of its D, and playing in a weaker Conf.
Delbert D.
April 26th, 2011
11:50 am
the Boise St. game will be an interesting predictor for the rest of the season. Both teams have lost a lot of talent. QBs are both very good. Georgia has a big edge in the receiver corps and in running backs. From my assessment of the rest of Boise’s returnees, it is the DL that has the most experience and playmakers.
kaput
April 26th, 2011
11:50 am
Sleep on Florida if you must but there is a lot of talent on that roster. The Gator defense is likely to be nasty and with Weis using the talent that Meyer amassed on the offensive side of the ball, espect to see a lot of improvement.