Has NFL-caliber talent underperformed at UGA?
UGA certainly didn't get the championships it expected out of Matthew Stafford's time in Athens. (Associated Press)
In anticipation of Thursday’s first round of the NFL draft, Rivals.com came up with a Top 10 for total draft picks since 2000 and UGA placed fourth with 61 behind Ohio State (73), Southern Cal (69) and Miami (67) and just ahead of Tennessee, which had 60.
The rest of the Top 10 was rounded out by Florida and FSU (both with 59), LSU (55), Virginia Tech (52) and Michigan and Oklahoma (both with 49).
When it came to having the most first-round picks, the Dogs were ninth, with 11, including the No. 1 overall pick in 2009 with Matthew Stafford. UGA trailed Miami (26), Ohio State (16), Southern Cal (15), FSU and Texas (14), and Florida, Oklahoma and Tennessee (12). Penn State followed Georgia with 10.
As a Georgia fan, there are two ways of looking at this.
On the one hand, Georgia’s consistent status as a producer of NFL players no doubt was a factor in Mark Richt landing this year’s Dream Team, and is likely to continue drawing talent to Athens.
But while the Dogs won two SEC championships during the period this listing covers, and finished as high as No. 2 in the country, the most recent conference title was in 2005 and the Dogs brought home no BCS championship.
So you could argue that all that NFL-caliber talent underperformed while at UGA. That argument would be particularly on the mark for the Stafford-Knowshon Moreno era.
Richt got the Dream Team to Athens. But now he’s got to show he can do more with that talent than simply produce future pro players.
Johnathan Taylor (University of Georgia)
JT AT THE TED!
It was fantastic seeing the big smile on the face of Johnathan Taylor in the dugout with the Diamond Dogs Tuesday night as they beat Georgia Tech 6-4 before a crowd of 18,156 at Turner Field in the Spring Baseball Classic for Kids.
It was JT’s first time being reunited with the full team since breaking his neck in a game against Florida State in early March, and it no doubt helped spur the Dogs on to the win over the No. 9-ranked Jackets.
Go JT! Go Dogs!
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231 comments Add your comment
cmr is soft
April 27th, 2011
6:25 pm
that’s why we under achieve. he lets up after “big” wins and we always get caught flat footed. been that way since he started here. aint gonna change now.
Brent
April 27th, 2011
6:29 pm
True, it is coaching in the way Richt stays with guys, particularly QB’s Joe T, Cox & Murray, even when it’s obvious to all to change QB’s.
When the team, loaded with this much talent loses a bunch of games, it’s usually the QB.
Brent
April 27th, 2011
6:40 pm
Richt has put 61 into the NFL since 2000.
10 have gone in the 1st round since 2000, but 8 were in the 1st 5 years, only 2 in the last 5 years.
But very few teams have LESS to show with MORE talent than Richt.
Dawg89
April 27th, 2011
6:54 pm
Yes, NFL talent has underperformed at UGA. Stafford is a prime example. Lions fans would most certainly argue he continues to underperform.
Rev. Sharpton
April 27th, 2011
7:25 pm
Dawg89…I am a Lion’s fan (yes I admit it) and I don’t think Stafford has underperformed. Running for your dea life every Sunday by defensive guys due to your horrible offensive line isn’t my idea of underperforming. I guess you’re the same guy blaming Murray too. The guys who write for a living seem to think Murray is a pretty good QB, the best in the SEC this upcoming season as predicted by some. It doesn’t really matter what you armchair QB’s by night ditch digging construction workers by day really think now does it?
nub
April 27th, 2011
7:54 pm
watching last yrs ARKIE game…. it’s 3rd and 1 to go on our 40 .. bobo calls a pass play with three vertical receivers and no check down ….
murray sacked ..kick ….. next third down play bobo calls the wilddawg …. also stopped …
1st down on the 4 bobo calls pass play murry sacked fpr safety ….get the picture……don;t believe it’s the talent… why dosn’t bobo call more plays to throw to Orson Charles?????
LakeDawg
April 27th, 2011
8:04 pm
Yes, the Dawgs have under-achieved. Let’s hope that turns around next year. I’m sincerely rooting for CMR. As others have stated, the downfall came when CMR allowed VanGorder to leave. Hopefully Grantham is the real deal. The offense is what the offense will always be at UGA under CMR….under-achieving , but scores enough to win if we have a defense.
BTW Stafford viewed UGA as a minor league stop on the way to the pros. Nothing more. The fact that he has been returning lately shows nothing more than he is injured and bored and maybe feeling a bit nostalgic after having a rough time in Detroit.
Paul
April 27th, 2011
8:59 pm
Mark Richt is not tuff enough to get UGA to the top. Van Gorder and Calloway were the keys to UGA success in that they supplied the discipline for Richt!!!!! Perhaps Grantham can do the same otherwise Mark will be history come December.
truedawg
April 27th, 2011
9:43 pm
some have underperformed. Some injuries, some underachivers. some using UGA as a stepping stone to the NFL. To say no sucess because of lack of a NC is crazy. The SEC is always tuff and luck has carried some teams to the NC game, 2 years under CMR UGA no doubt would have beaten the NC champs. LSU was praying that UGA didn’t go to the dome that year..LUCK . UF makes it with a loss…LUCK Put UGA in the big 10 and they would have played in 4 NC games in the last decade. Also could be said of TENN, BAMA, and LSU, UF…and list goes on. I agree that the Defense had been the problem more than anything else the last few years. I hope this next year show vasty improvement. We’ll see. Bobo has had some moments where the plays didn’t make sense, but that’s hard to say if it was called by him, or a call at the line. I agree, if the D is better, CMR may still be on the hot seat if the O struggles. But so far Athens seems to be a tight ship this year.. I hope it stays that way. I agree also that CMR needs a assn’ that will “crack the whip” He has been too soft, but seems like a change now..We’ll see come Sept….GO DAWGS!!!!
Camden Mark
April 27th, 2011
9:51 pm
Murray was a freshman last season ya morons.God where doooo you dig up these idiots.Try poorly coached,the best talent in the world will go nowhere without decent coaching.Something UGA has been sorely lacking the last few years.
Slim G
April 27th, 2011
9:58 pm
I’d also point to the QB. If you win, give the QB leader credit, if you lose, the QB leader is usually the blame Ultimately, he handles the football the most, and he determines how far you go. We know what Murray can do, 6-7, 0-6 against winning teams. Time for a new leader. Now. Not after another 1-4 start.
Mike
April 27th, 2011
10:01 pm
Slim G-
Well said. You always look to the leader when a team has the kind of train wreck season UGA had last year, and Murray’s leadership, wow, what can you say? Atrocious? Worst season in Richts 25 career in coaching?
Mike
April 27th, 2011
10:02 pm
Richt does well when he has strong QB’s like David Green and Matt Stafford. Richt struggles when he has poor QB’s like Cox, Murray, etc. The talent level rises or falls based on the QB.
RYDER
April 27th, 2011
10:05 pm
DRUG PROBLEMS
Stu
April 27th, 2011
10:14 pm
Hopefully, this team can get back on track on offense. Finishing 10th in scoring against ranked teams will get you a 6-7 season every time. Murray only threw 5 td passes against teams with winning records with AJ 7 Durham, he’s just a choke city type of QB against good teams. The offense is in real trouble if he’s truly the best we got. It’s a trainwreck, and we need a new player to help the team reach higher.
Stu
April 27th, 2011
10:18 pm
Murray ranks last in the 1st & 4th quarter in passing accuracy, he just can’t get playmakers the football, he’s ranked #119 out of 120 teams.
Zip
April 27th, 2011
10:21 pm
I’ll give you one example. Murray had 3 weeks to study film for Univ of Central Florida. He had possibly the #1 pick in the NFL to throw to. And Murray didn’t score a td against UCF, a conference USA team.
What good is having an AJ Green if your QB can’t get him the ball?
No AJC report on Jenkins kicked off team
April 27th, 2011
10:29 pm
I can’t believe there is no report yet on Jenkins getting kicked of the gator’s team. I think that Muschamp may be a double agent. He supplies the weed from athens to the gators and then they get arrested and he kicks them off the team. Go Dogs. Seriously this is big for our chances of finally beating them.
macrotech
April 27th, 2011
10:45 pm
UGA has enjoyed the kind of success in the past ten years that MANY teams could only dream of…all they lack is the NC trophy/trophies and few more wins against the gators. The gap in opinions seem to fall in attitude…at first winning consistently felt good, but the continued failure to get into the NC game and win has become wearisome for the proud. It is amazing that UGA hasn’t done this, but it is what it is…underachieving is not the title…nowadays, it seems luck plays as significant roll as anything. CMR is a good coach and deserves a little patience from the fan base…if ANYTHING, he’s kept us Tech fans at bay!!! If UGA loses CMR…they would miss him and all his victories. As a Tech fan…I’m ALL for you guys getting someone else!
No AJC report on Jenkins kicked off team
April 27th, 2011
10:56 pm
Stu, I have concerns about Murray too. He plays very well at times and badly at times in the same game. In the SEC that cost you victories. For example he played terrible early against Florida and great later in the game. Another example of his inconsistancy is the first drive agaisnt UCF he did not make one bad pass. The rest of the game he was horrible. I am giving him the benefit of the doubt since he was a freshman.
Big Dawg
April 28th, 2011
5:20 am
Hey Mr King,
you can blame the player’s all you want too it’s the coach’s. Coach Richt is a soft coach,and UGA don’t spend a lot of money on hiring good coaches.. We have the telant to win but with out a hard nose caoch we will never win. 2011 will be the same’s thing, Time for a change Mr king, we will never catch the Ala, Auburn’s and Lsu,, or Fla please call out the right person UGA the Mr.Richt.
Thank you.
Smith
April 28th, 2011
7:45 am
Nope, it sure ain’t Richt’s fault. Richt did great with David Green and Matthew Stafford. But Richt’s got to have some leadership and execution from his QB.
Alphare
April 28th, 2011
8:39 am
I have to say no. Their talents are not wasted because they are not that great to begin with.
Is Stafford great? not in my book. When you watched him play back then, you just knew he did not have “it” to win a champion. Everybody knew he had the arm, but something else was missing, that was “it”.
Moreno? he was a finesse back. He couldn’t produce in big games like Mark Ingram did with power. He looked fancy. But fancy cannot get you anywhere in SEC. To win championship with him?
When Stafford/Moreno were in UGA, I never picked UGA to win SEC or NC. Not sure about you dawgie fans though.
Timbodog
April 28th, 2011
10:25 am
Yes. Of course.
DawginLex
April 28th, 2011
10:29 am
thUGA can only recruit thugs who don’t care about academics – they only want to fight, dance, rap, showboat, and break the law. Grades and SAT/ACT scores don’t matter at thUGA.
******************************************************************
Hey Ralphie boy,
did you stay up late to come up with that creative lather?
Some real original stuff there Einstein.
DawginLex
April 28th, 2011
10:31 am
alphare,
UGA could have won anything they wanted to with Stafford and Moreno if we had a defense.
Timbodog
April 28th, 2011
10:35 am
DawginLex,
That defense had plenty of talent…but Richt (and the fanbase) once again passed the buck and blamed it all on Martinez. Richt is absolved of all blame.
Just saying
April 28th, 2011
11:00 am
Bobo has no business being an OC. Let Grantham be a hard ass on the D. Hoping the S & C program is better. Woulda like to have seen some new blood rather than a re-shuffling of the deck. Love Richt, but need some results. Sit Rambo down (not the same since Auburn 09). 2 off the field screw ups = goodbye. Play the best player, not just the oldest (Can you imagine Herschel behind Carnie Norris?). Too many offsides and procedure penalties.
npgator
April 28th, 2011
11:12 am
As a Lion’s fan the jury is still out on stafford as to whether or not he is tough enough for the NFL. So far after 2 seasons he has been hurt and out for 1 half of the season for each of his first 2 years. I hope I am wrong but he may be too fragile.
DawginLex
April 28th, 2011
11:46 am
timbo,
Van gorder was lights out compared to Martinez.
both coached under richt.
You have to let your coaches coach.
An inconvenient truth
April 30th, 2011
9:15 am
When you recruit illiterate, low class drunken goons, why would you expect them to be coachable or to perform well as a team?