Dawgs showing up in preseason Top 10 rankings (UPDATED)
Brandon Boykin won the Paul Hornung Award. (Associated Press)
Mark Richt’s Georgia Bulldogs fared better in the final college football rankings than I had feared, managing to stay in the Top 20 of both polls despite losing their last two games. UGA was No. 19 in the final AP poll and No. 20 in the USA Today Coaches poll.
Of course, it probably didn’t hurt Georgia that one of those final two losses was the SEC championship game and the the bowl loss was a three-overtime affair, or that all four of the Dogs’ losses this season were to teams that finished in the USA Today Coaches’ poll Top 10 and the Top 11 of the Associated Press ranking.
Based on returning talent and a favorable schedule (and perhaps depending on who all leaves or doesn’t leave for the NFL), it’s likely that Georgia will start the 2012 season at least in the vicinity of the Top 10.
Meanwhile, Monday saw running back Keith Marshall on campus in Athens, highly-rated defensive end recruit Jordan Jenkins picking the Dawgs over Alabama and Brandon Boykin very deservedly winning the Paul Hornung Award as the nation’s most versatile player.
Sure, I would have preferred for LSU to win the BCS game (we don’t recruit much against them, unlike Bammer) and I’m not thrilled with Brian VanGorder’s crazy zig-zag career path leading the erratic but undeniably talented defensive coach to Auburn (for the moment, at least). It will be interesting to see how BVG fares in his return to college ball. He’s definitely an upgrade for AU, but if I had to choose between him and current UGA defensive coordinator Todd Grantham, who apparently nailed down the Jenkins commitment, I think I’d go with what Georgia has now.
Anyway, overall, the postseason is off to a pretty good start, don’t you think?
UPDATE: Sure enough, the Dawgs are hitting the Top 10 of the early preseason rankings that are showing up. USA Today’s Kelly Whiteside has UGA #8 and says “the Bulldogs are back.” ESPN’s Mark Schlabach’s Way-Too-Early Top 25 has Georgia #6. He says defense and schedule are reasons the Dogs are favored to win the SEC East again. And CBSSports.com’s Brett McMurphy has the Bulldogs ranked all the way up at #3 and says they could be legitimate national title contenders because of their returning talent plus the SEC’s easiest schedule.
So what do you think, is Georgia a legitimate Top 10 team for 2012?
Got something on your mind concerning UGA athletics or a question for the Junkyard Blawg? Send it to junkyardblawg@gmail.com.
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502 comments Add your comment
Ol' Wayne
January 12th, 2012
10:49 am
DawgFolks, Listen… When y’all constantly make negative comments about CMB, CMR, et al, you just add fuel to a fire that does not need to be burning. Y’all state that CMR won’t be around in 3 years… but fail to ask that question about YOURSELF. Will YOU be around in 3 years? Will YOU be fired from your job or flunk organic chemistry? There is no guarantee about ANY thing you write!
And, by the way, I don’t think any of the negative comments HELPS anyone wherever they may be, no matter the task they have been assigned. Think, folks! Could YOU tackle, block, catch the ball, or punt any better than the players we have now? Could YOU coach any better than CMB or CMR or CTG? What is that you say? YOU COULD? Then apply of the job whenever it comes open, then see how far you get in being hired at UGA! We do have a great University, a great State, and a great Country. Until YOU can do better than the Coaches we have, then keep the comments on a positive note. The situation may be MUCH better than you think! Or do you even THINK?
Personally, I think building character in a young man is MUCH better than winning at all costs. Our future fathers, leaders, business men, and VOTERS can help our USA be better than we have ever thought it could be. We have some great young men out there playing for UGA. and much of their values will be shaped by those who have influence over them, such as CMR, CTG, and CMB. Lastly, I ask you doubters to remember: some young man MAY be influenced by YOUR negativity.
So, before you stick your foot in your mouth again, ask your own self this question: AM I the solution to the problem, or just part of the problem?
Gooooooooo Dawgs, Sic ‘em! GATA!
geodawg55
January 12th, 2012
12:08 pm
Performance as to how high they will go depends on Offensive tackles. We have great running backs but need help in the offensive line to open some sort of hole to run through.