Dawgs continue unlikely rise in preseason picks
Aaron Murray seems to be the key to optimistic preseason picks for Georgia. (Brant Sanderlin / AJC)
If this keeps up, I’m not sure I’m going to be able to keep my inner optimist from taking over.
I’m talking about another national college football preview picking Mark Richt’s Dawgs to win the SEC East in 2011, following on the heels of Phil Steele. This time it’s Athlon Sports, which sees Georgia winning the East and then losing to Alabama in the Georgia Dome.
The Athlon analysis of the conference sees the league’s balance of power remaining “tilted in westerly direction.” In the East, a return to Atlanta for the South Carolina Gamecocks is deemed “far from certain, especially with the ongoing drama with quarterback Stephen Garcia.” Meanwhile, Athlon notes that Richt “is probably one mediocre season away from unemployment. Fortunately for him, he has the horses to win the division, led by quarterback Aaron Murray, who has transitioned from question mark to lead Dawg.”
Georgia, Athlon says, “has perhaps the league’s top returning quarterback … a highly rated recruiting class and a favorable schedule.”
Of course, they do ask, “Has the SEC ever entered a season with less returning star power at quarterback? When a redshirt sophomore (Georgia’s Murray) is arguably the top returning QB, that says something.”
The final analysis is that “this might not be a vintage Georgia team that is capable of competing for a national title, but the Bulldogs should be in the hunt to win the relatively mediocre SEC East.”
OK, definitely a bit underwhelming as votes of confidence go, but when you’re coming off a losing season getting picked to win your division is noteworthy. Even if it does look like an off year in that division.
What do you think, are Steele and Athlon just dazzled by Murray’s freshman numbers and the whole “Dream Team” thing, or are they on to something?
MASCOT SHOWDOWN
It’s a dog fight in SportsNation and EA’s “NCAA Football Traditions” voting as Georgia’s Uga and Tennnessee’s Smokey battle in the first round. As of this morning, Uga was in the lead with 52 percent of just over 30,000 votes tallied so far. You can cast yours here.
RINGING ENDORSEMENT
New UGA spot will focus on ringing the Chapel Bell. (University of Georgia)
Most UGA alums and fans I heard from thought last year’s low-rent spot promoting the university that aired during football television broadcasts was pretty embarrassing. So a group of alums, including some TV production professionals, decided to offer their services to come up with something better.
Thursday, a couple of hundred volunteers lined up in front of the UGA Chapel in Athens for filming on the commercial, which will show an endless line of students and alums lining up to ring the Chapel Bell. The promotional spot also will feature the song “Oh My Heart” by Athens’ own R.E.M., The Red and Black reports.
“What happened is, I think like a lot of Georgia alumni, I was disappointed with the UGA TV spot,” said alumnus Mike Martin, creative director of the commercial. “Rather than be a voice of criticism, I wanted to do something about it.”
Martin said R.E.M. agreed to have their song used in the UGA spot “because they love Athens so much and they wanted it to be a celebration of the University and the town of Athens.”
The new spot is scheduled to air Sept. 3 during the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game with Boise State.
Martin said many college commercials show generic images of professors holding test tubes and students throwing frisbees on campus. For the new video, however, they instead chose to showcase what makes the university and Athens special.
“We want people to choke up a little bit and be proud of being a Bulldog,” he said.
I’m getting a little verklempt already!
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405 comments Add your comment
Oz
June 17th, 2011
1:22 pm
Uh, Ealey beat Kentucky with 5 td’s, Murray had a good game against losing record Tenn, but Ealey won the Kentucky game.
Truth dawg
June 17th, 2011
1:22 pm
Oz you really are an idiot. come on now.
SOUTHGADAWG88
June 17th, 2011
1:23 pm
I see a lot of the fake Dawg fans have invaded the blog again.It’s all about the D to me…this year’s bunch should be the best in years.If those two boys at NG are in shape come September… look out!I don’t fear a single team on the schedule.
Oz
June 17th, 2011
1:24 pm
Murray cracks under pressure. Fell apart in 2nd-4th qrtrs against Aub, and had 4 to’s, including game ending int in OT, against Florida. Also had 3 to’s in Bowl game.
SOUTHGADAWG88
June 17th, 2011
1:25 pm
Murray lead an offense that scored 30 or more 8 straight games….pretty impressive for a Freshman IMO.
RabidDawgFan
June 17th, 2011
1:25 pm
Ok people need to get off Murray. He performed greatly last season. He had one of the greatest Freshman seasons any QB has ever had. Did any of you stop to think for a second that maybe, just maybe those losses weren’t all on Murray?! We had a defense too, or lack thereof. Murray wasn’t playing defense. He was playing QB. And he played well enough to win. He lit Florida up, he lit Auburn up, he lit almost everyone he faced up. He’s gonna be an All-Time great before he leaves UGA. Oh and yes, he will get that win over a winning team this season.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
June 17th, 2011
1:26 pm
Oz
Yea Lemay is a great leader, he gets suspended for his entire seinor season, now thats leadership
Oz
June 17th, 2011
1:27 pm
Nah, defense was 6th in SEC against winning teams in scoring in year 1 of Grantham’s 3-4, offense was 10th in scoring in SEC against winning teams in Bobo’s 8th season.
Oz
June 17th, 2011
1:28 pm
Actually, the offense led by Murray only scored 16 a game against WINNING teams. Good for 10th in the SEC.
Oz
June 17th, 2011
1:30 pm
Leadership ain’t about being perfect, quoting bible verses online or mission trips or selling a home to impress people.
Lemay got some accomplishments like:
Beat rival, at home, for 1st time in 30+ years
Atlanta87
June 17th, 2011
1:31 pm
Who cares who wins the SEC East? The winner of the SEC is coming out of the SEC West whether it be LSU, Auburn, Miss St, or even hard for me to say, Alabama.
SOUTHGADAWG88
June 17th, 2011
1:32 pm
Sounds a bit suspect there OZ….your entire argument is really based around the SC and MSU games.Let’s see …on the road…Freshman QB…no AJ…Defense in it’s first year with a lot of kids running around not knowing what they were doing yet.Sounds like a struggle should have been expected to me.
RabidDawgFan
June 17th, 2011
1:32 pm
Ok this bashing has to be coming from either Florida fans, Georgia Tech fans, South Carolina fans or Auburn fans. Some Alabama fans maybe. Maybe Auburn as well. Florida can’t talk with that 9 TD, 10 INT ratio QB they have. Georgia Tech? Ehh, they can’t beat us in our worst season to date. South Carolina’s QB can’t stay out of trouble or lead his team to victory. Auburn fans yeah you have a good QB in Cam Newton but how much did you pay for him? Alabama never has had a QB to lead their team to victory. They have never had an outstanding QB you look at and say WOW. There you go haters.
Truth dawg
June 17th, 2011
1:34 pm
SOUTHGADAWG88….\
You almost figured this thing out. under BVG we were near the bottom in offense. now we stay near the top and our defense sucks. yes sucks. Look people this is’nt rocket sci. All you have to do is have a Superior defense and the rest will fall into place. History tells us this in every sport ever played. Every year in the NFL, NCAA, NBA, MLB, NHL…an so on the top most dominating defense in that particular league finishes within the top two. I can give you several if not hundreds on instances where the top offense blows it not because of the offense but because of the lack of defense. The same cannot be said for the top defenses. As a matter of fact several times the Nation champion in CFB has had not that great of offense.
SOUTHGADAWG88
June 17th, 2011
1:34 pm
Seriously….I don’t get all the MSU love….they are 1-4 in their Division two years in a row.Beating UGA and FLA in a down year is really all Mullen can hang his hat on so far IMO.They will lose both of those games this year.
Atlanta87
June 17th, 2011
1:34 pm
$0.00 RabidDawgFan
Black Toenail
June 17th, 2011
1:35 pm
Bet the mortgage! Why even play the season?
Oz
June 17th, 2011
1:36 pm
David in the Bible, and Moses, would have been kicked off of Richt’s team.
Richt thinks perfect guys make the best leaders.
He’s wrong.
Look at what Cam Newton did last 2 years at Auburn and at JUCO.
SOUTHGADAWG88
June 17th, 2011
1:38 pm
Age starting to show there OZ.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
June 17th, 2011
1:39 pm
OZ
Did you just sip on some of Katherine Richts KRYPTONITE kool-aid
You want to bash Murry but not a word about Richt
Let me break it to you son Richt had a #1 Draft pick at QB with Stafford and what did he do with him,
lets see now, oh thats right nothing
And you think putting Lemay in will win you a championship.
How about another round of Katherines kool-aid before you go
Truth dawg
June 17th, 2011
1:42 pm
DEFENSE WINS
Offense sells tickets
…I know you guys have heard that a billion times, but seriously, the one’s that really really get “it” understand football a little better. Am i arrogant? Maybe a little due to the fact I’ve made a living off of defense and my knowledge of it. Coaches come to me. I am also a coach, but could careless about whether you believe that. let’s talk defense ask me anything. ….i have a sickness i can’t stop thinking about defense.
Go DAWGS!
SOUTHGADAWG88
June 17th, 2011
1:42 pm
He won a lot of games with Stafford….it would have been great if he had a Stafford and Moreno caliber tandem on Defense though.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
June 17th, 2011
1:43 pm
OZ
Cam Newton did what he did due to the brains of Gus Malzon. Ol Guss simplified the offense for Newton and called plays for his abilities. We do not have a coaching staff that does that here
So you think Lemay is Newton and by the way I’ll take a non running QB who can pass and read the field anyday over a Newton/Vick type QB
odds of winning a championship are enormously higher
BulldogBen
June 17th, 2011
1:44 pm
I simply refuse to be duped again. I’ve suffered too much disappointment the last couple of years to buy in. I’ll pull for them like crazy and I’ll go to about half the games this year (home & road).
But, until Richt can prove otherwise, I’m hoping for the best, expecting the worst.
RabidDawgFan
June 17th, 2011
1:44 pm
How can Florida fans talk about or QB and our O-line when they have the worst of both? They have Brantley in in your mind who would you rather have? Brantley or Murray? Be honest. Florida’s O-line? Name me one impact linemen from their starting lineup. Thought so.
Georgia Tech fans come on here to bash us but they can’t beat us. Beat us then bash us ok? They don’t even run a college offense so they have NO ROOM to talk.
South Carolina, oh South Carolina…win an SEC title before you pop off ok? Stephen Garcia can’t win the game with his arm. He has to rely on Lattimore and it was quite evident last season. You guys aren’t dominating the SEC. You still lost 5 games last season.
Auburn…haven’t beat UGA since 2005 before last year but you all of a sudden “own” UGA. hahaha, typical.
SOUTHGADAWG88
June 17th, 2011
1:45 pm
Well Truth dawg how do defend Boise State?Do we go with the 4-2-5 look that TCU uses or attack them from the 3-4?Give me some details
How cruel is preseason
June 17th, 2011
1:45 pm
Will Rip Van Winkle awaken after 31 years?
Dawghater
June 17th, 2011
1:45 pm
Yes, it’s that time of the year. No college football games being played. Not even practice. Yet, this time every year UGA’s rankings go up, fans are talking SEC & Nat’l Championships and how they will finally find a way to beat FL in J’ville. Then the season starts! Enjoy the “preseason” rankings. At least UGA fans feel good during the summer!
How cruel is preseason
June 17th, 2011
1:46 pm
RabidDawgFan, first thing that goes in a rabid dog is his brain; how fitting a handle.
SOUTHGADAWG88
June 17th, 2011
1:47 pm
Newton and Tebow were freaks…perfect for that Offense they ran.Let’s see how well those systems look without them.MSU is still running Meyer’s scheme
Bobby Bowden quote
June 17th, 2011
1:48 pm
“Mark probably is not mean enough to win it all as a head coach”. His daddy knows him best. You know that UCF fans believe it as do Vandy and KY who beat him between your glorious hedges.
RabidDawgFan
June 17th, 2011
1:49 pm
Who would you guys rather have to lead your team? Brantley or Murray going into the 2011 season?
I know I’m going to get “At least Brantley has beaten a winning team”…ok whatever, that’s not the point.
Answer
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
June 17th, 2011
1:49 pm
SOUTHGADAWG88
Richt allowed Van Gorder to get mad and leave because of him taking the side of his buddy Martinez
thats why we had no defense slick Willy was the D coordinator
Again Richt put himself in his current situation
Bobby Bowden quote
June 17th, 2011
1:50 pm
SOUTHGADAWG88, good points about Newton and Tebow. Stubborn drama queen Urban tried to run the same offense with Brantley with disastrous results. Bet he does better in Charlie’s O.
RabidDawgFan
June 17th, 2011
1:51 pm
Wasn’t Kentucky a winning team? Murray beat them. Georgia beat them. Come to think of it, Brantley didn’t beat a winning team last season if Murray didn’t.
Bobby Bowden quote
June 17th, 2011
1:51 pm
No we would rather have some one who cannot see over the center.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
June 17th, 2011
1:51 pm
Rabid Dawg Fan
Richt couldnt beat FL if Tom Brady was our QB
Atlanta87
June 17th, 2011
1:51 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1eYvnRQZbc
@ Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville Enjoy!
ga gator
June 17th, 2011
1:52 pm
Just checking in; same daily hating goin on.
RabidDawgFan
June 17th, 2011
1:52 pm
We beat Georgia Tech and they were a winning team last season weren’t they???!!!!! (sarcasm)
SOUTHGADAWG88
June 17th, 2011
1:52 pm
Take a look at any coach in college football history…when you look at guy’s first 10 years coaching in a decent conference….very few would match Richt’s record.That’s a fact.
Mark
June 17th, 2011
1:53 pm
A bad OC.
A thin OL.
No play marker at WR.
Murray has a So. slump. Loses to UF, SC; beats GT. Finishes 3rd in East.
The truth
June 17th, 2011
1:53 pm
The results of not being able to see over the line:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPXSXXSecFQ
Atlanta87
June 17th, 2011
1:54 pm
@ Rabid Dawg Fan I don’t think anyone said we own UGA, but we do own the 2010 National Championship Trophy and Heisman Trophy. I’ll take losing 4 of 5 and a national championship any day over winning 4 of 5 and not even an SEC championship.
Truth dawg
June 17th, 2011
1:56 pm
Your right Flat tire in JAX…..BVG left because of that reason.
Atlanta87
June 17th, 2011
1:56 pm
Congrats @ SOUTHGADAWG88 on your 2 SEC championships and Zero National Championships. Please keep Mark Richt.
SOUTHGADAWG88
June 17th, 2011
1:57 pm
Van Gorder left because he wanted to do his own thing.There is nothing wrong with that.If you want to keep it real…the drop off in defensive recruiting started under BVG
bitter "OLE" School dooley(aka vince)
June 17th, 2011
1:58 pm
recruits say no for pay for play—————girls love foot ballers in athens——yaaaaw
——————-play with pride not for thuggs in allburn
SOUTHGADAWG88
June 17th, 2011
1:59 pm
Don’t sweat it Atlanta87….those awards will be withdrawn in a few years.
RabidDawgFan
June 17th, 2011
2:00 pm
Atlanta 87, give me your prediction of how Auburn’s gonna do this season?