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
BusterBlue
January 10th, 2012
4:36 pm
Yes, our defense is VASTLY over-rated.
Gave up 13 points a game against UNRANKED TEAMS (3rd best in SEC)
But gave up 38 p[oints a game against RANKED teams (11th best in SEC)
http://www.cfbstats.com/2011/leader/911/team/defense/split13/category09/sort01.html
duronimo
January 10th, 2012
4:38 pm
I don’t believe finishing in the top 20 is progress when the entire body of work is examined. What “progress” there is is linked to how many good teams grace the schedule. The more good teams the worse the record. This year and next “progress” will be shown but it’s a mirage. Right now top twenty or not UGA is an embarrassment to the SEC. (Check the bowl scores for the past two years)
BusterBlue
January 10th, 2012
4:41 pm
Some of the wins were good wins.
Auburn, Georgia Tech, both were ranked in the top 25 when we played them.
Florida, althought they were horrible by Florida’s standards in 2011, it’s always good to get a win against Florida.
But yes, all of the wins, came against teams that ENDED up UNRANKED, just like 2010.
So the only way to know how good we were this year, was the SEC Championship, we looked good first half, but ended up blown out 42-10.
BusterBlue
January 10th, 2012
4:45 pm
We did lose 2 of the 4 games by 3 points to teams that ended up ranked in the top 10, so you could say we were awful close to being a top 10 ranked team, and that’s probably true, about 7 or 8 points away.
The team did improve overall. Only 2 bad losses (more than a td loss). Boise & LSU. Played well in both of those in 1st half and then collapsed under pressure.
BusterBlue
January 10th, 2012
4:48 pm
Last 4 years, against ranked teams, we’ve finished with a negative turnover margin.
Richt can’t seem to fix this.
http://www.cfbstats.com/2011/leader/911/team/offense/split13/category12/sort01.html
UGA_85
January 10th, 2012
4:50 pm
Some of you trolls need a life. Some of you fair weather fans need to move on. This time last year you claimed we would do worse than 6-7, and now at 10-4 we are destined for failure?
How soon we forget that BVG was always slammed for giving up the 3rd and longs, just like in Atlanta. If he could get to the QB, he was successful. Never in coverage, just like Atlanta. Just listen to the experts when this year alone they have spoke about each coach in a game. UGA vs LSU – Grantham has the LSU offense confused. ATL vs NY – Atlanta is not fooling NY, they are just getting to Eli. I’ll keep Grantham all day.
Redzone defense is 116th. LSU was 100th. Scoring defense we were 23rd. Gotta get to the redzone too.
shankit
January 10th, 2012
5:05 pm
Looks like Saban may have come up with his passing game plan
last night against LSU, from watching the Dawgs first half against
LSU. Switched from running the ball like he did the first game to
a passing offense. Saban should thank Richt and Bo Bo.
duronimo
January 10th, 2012
5:10 pm
I see comments on here about Murray maturing. Greene and Stafford never had to mature. They were good from the start, stayed that way or got better. They found ways to win, not lose. The fact that Murray is the one making the disastrous mistakes in big games is an unfixable problem. You can either play or you can’t. Murray is missing something important that Greene and Stafford both had.
IlliniDawg
January 10th, 2012
5:13 pm
@Dr. Phil: and so Stafford was what, a giant? Check the stats and you will see that he is only one inch taller than Murray.
@BusterBlue: Mettenberger may in fact be good, but it says something about LSU and Les Miles that they picked up a guy with such serious character issues. He is a junior version of Ben Rothlisberger. I’d rather not have a guy like that on our team. [Put down the bong Isaiah!].
tell me again
January 10th, 2012
5:22 pm
I love the Dawgs / Love Coach RIcht – but if you want to win at the highest levels of collegiate football CONSISTENTLY you need a madman like Saban – a perfectionist – a relentless driver of people and coaches, to do it. Saban accepts NOTHING but the best from his coaching staff and players – Richt is simply too tolerant of his staff’s failings to get it done. At Alabama, Bobo would have lasted through a spring – maybe – at UGA, he is an offensive fixture who is as planted as the hedges at Sanford Stadium. This is Coach Richt’s weakness and the main one that holds him and our program back. Having said that, there is no finer molder of young men in the country and no finer face to put on your program than Coach Richt’s. We play by the rules – our discipline is hard and consistent (otherwise, players Mettenberger would still be with us and not at LSU.) Do you think if any of our players had been in a bar fight and kicked people in the head they would still be at UGA? Not a chance. We don’t want it that bad, folks. If you can accept this – you can be happy with Georgia football as it is and probably always will be under RIcht.. If nothing matters but WINNING – you will never be happy with Richt. And that, is the rest of the story….
Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane
January 10th, 2012
5:24 pm
UGA Fans
When is the 10 Win Championship Ring Ceremony
DawgByte
January 10th, 2012
5:43 pm
For Georgia to be an elite program we need to do what Bama does… lower academic standards, over sign and get rid of marginal players.
JDawg1785
January 10th, 2012
5:48 pm
I’m hoping we see Faton Bauta some in 2012. This kid sounds really special:
http://espn.go.com/colleges/georgia/football/story/_/id/7446691/is-faton-bauta-georgia-bulldogs-tim-tebow
Still@theKool-aidBAR
January 10th, 2012
5:54 pm
JDwag1785 does he sound more Special than CROWELL?
FLA DAWG
January 10th, 2012
5:54 pm
Congratulations Bama Fans!
The Tide absolutely dominated the game from start to finish.
Glad to see your field goal kicker redeem himself from the earlier game / loss to LSU – though he did miss a couple of chip field goals and an extra point.
I watched your first matchup with LSU and knew you guys handed them the game and would win it all if the stars lined up and you’d play again.
Gotta tell ya that as a Dawg Alumn I feel jealous in a good way regarding your school’s accomplishments. Bama fielded a team that had an NFL quality Defense – and The D wins games. As tough as LSU’s O has been they withered because your D held their O to a Record ZERO. WOW!
An historic win and one that will be highlighted in recordbooks.
Dawg48
January 10th, 2012
6:00 pm
Still@theKool-aidBAR
Youth ages, immaturity is out grown,ignorance can be educated and drunkenness sobered, but stupid last forever.
FLA DAWG
January 10th, 2012
6:01 pm
How many times do we have to, “Wait Til Next Year!” ?
As long as Richt and Bobo are on staff…………that’s how long.
Proud of our performance vs LSU and Michigan State?
The Michigan State Game should have been won by The Dawgs in the FIRST QTR.
What a LOAD OF KRAP KOACHING I THINK WE HAVE IN ATHENS (except Grantham).
Time to go to sleep and forget about UGA football………….not just until next season but for as long as McGarity extends Richt’s contract !!!
Wayne
January 10th, 2012
6:02 pm
Bulldogs are so lucky to be ranked. They beat absolutely no one and lost to 4 ranked opponents. By any measure a pathetic season and very poorly coached team. I can’t wait for more of the same next season. Frkkin loser bulldogs
JDawg1785
January 10th, 2012
6:03 pm
Kool-aid, Crowell was the 2011 SEC Freshman of the Year despite being injured for a few games and suspended for another. I’d say that’s pretty special.
BamaDAWG
January 10th, 2012
6:17 pm
A sure sign we are mediocre is the fact that NO ONE ever talks about any UGA coaches being considered for head coaching positions. I believe it has been a few years and Calloway was the last to become one. Just like the players, the coaches are stuck with mediocrity and that is the head coach’s fault! Look at Bama, LSU, Florida…when people look for coaches to LEAD programs…these are the places they go to look. Why not UGA? Unfortunately, there is a perception about the program which stems from CMR. And that is why we are losing a majority of the in-state talent to other programs.
No one denies that UGA is a good team…but NO ONE believes that UGA will ever contend for a NC and for sure, not consistently. It all starts with the head coach and there is NO reason Georgia should be losing top in-state talent to Alabama, consistently beating Florida or being discussed among the great teams in college football.
Unfortunately, until UGA gets a head coach that has that “play to win” attitude…we will be stuck in this rut (and with the new deal, that appears to be at least 3-5 years)!
Sautee Dawg
January 10th, 2012
6:19 pm
Hey Bill, BVG will be a problem for the SEC, we had several players drafted off his teams at UGA. Probably got tired of babysitting in the pros, can’t make them pratice can’t tell players what to do, and now with only 14 pratices allowed in NFL with pads for the entire regular season? That’s not even 1 padded pratice a week, how the hell you gonna teach a player to tackle of pratice anything?
In college at least the players have to pretend to pay attention.
Recruits looking good for UGA, schedule looks good, only problem with the weak sched is if making it back to the done next season may get passed over for aa team from the west with a worse record because of it.
Things to look for in 2012
CTG’s defense keeping us in games that CMR and CMB have tried to give away.
Hoping these new rb’s will bring a whole new meaning to the position at UGA, We are the laughing stock of the SEC at rb the past few seasons, time for a change.
Flying Tiger
January 10th, 2012
6:54 pm
With another cupcake schedule uga should not be truly tested until SEC championship game where they will be blown out by Bama or LSU again. Must be nice that someone makes there schedule the eaisest in the SEC for the second straight year.
waytogoricht
January 10th, 2012
7:37 pm
Richt doesn’t have what it takes to compete with upper echelon coaches, the latest being from Michigan State. He came to Georgia with no head coaching credentials and is horrible against good or great coaches , whose current teams are not down. He wouldn’t have beaten Auburn this year if they were not down. Next year will continue the disappointment of an underachieving head coach who is in over his head. Unless Saban retires, Miles retires, and other traditionally good teams stay mediocre beyond 2011, Richt is going nowhere except to the bank to deposit his 3.2 mill pay. And, when he is up against good or great non=SEC coaches in the future, watch him lose to every one.
SEC: UGA embarasses us
January 10th, 2012
7:39 pm
Flying Tiger you make a good point, but I’d put UGA right around where UNC is and we saw what Mizzou did to them. That will be a big game for mizzou and UGA will be on the road. So yes while the more than likely, as in book it, loss to South Carolina will come later this year then normal the Mizzou game will start UGA out 1-1. And that’s with the SEC bending over backwards to help UGA out.
You’ve got to love when even on the radio that guy that does the Bulldog round table was saying “we caught a huge break getting Alabama off our schedule…”
True sign of a champion team. In the SEC West, they’re commited to huge games and they added Texas A&M who with the right coach can turn those blow out first halfs into wins instead of huge let downs. The West is out of control, look who LSU and Bama return! The West should break off and form it’s own conference. But then again the East does provide them with some guaranteed wins. That’s why teams from the east evidently rejoice when they don’t have to play the good West teams.
And btw, now Auburn has your old DC right? The one you’ve never been the same since loosing him. The one Pollack said “VanGorder was the biggest football junkie I have ever been around. Studies hard, demands excellence and teaches u how 2 b a man.”
NFL guys. I think to NFL guys CFB is like comparing womens softball to MLB. So now the 4th best team in the west whether it be ARK or AUB would easily win the east. Wow. So Auburn may be ready to make all their plethora of freshman and sophmores into a team capable of sucker punching LSU and Bama… meanwhile on the Bulldogs round table they celebrate not playing Alabama.
waytogoricht
January 10th, 2012
8:00 pm
How would you like to work at a place, be continually mediocre, never learn from your mistakes, get constantly beaten by your peers who appear to be even with you, constantly disappoint and embarass your organization, but your boss sees that you draw 3.2 mil annually and you’re up for an extension.
Rural Education
January 10th, 2012
8:18 pm
Georgia fans crack me up. You completely discount the best team in the East and act like you are destined to win. I hear all this “we were a dropped pass or a fumble away” well so was S.C. who was 4 points from winning the East and handled their bowl game against a team that throttled Michigan State. You will be ranked higher preseason because the national press loves you but in the end you will be once again looking up to South Carolina in the final rankings. The SEC had four teams finish in the top ten and Ga. was not one of them.
7576DAWG
January 10th, 2012
8:23 pm
For those of you that still are taking up for Mettenberger I hope in your lifetime all you have are daughter. Mettenberger chose to leave Georgia when he was encourage to do so by CMR, when he SEXUALLY assaulted a girl. She apparently agreed not to ruin his life with a plea bargain. I’m sure she got a new car out of it or no college debt. If it had been one of my daughter’s no amount of pressure or money would have kept him from having a permanent felony conviction on his record. There was no way CMR was going to let him stay at Georgia as many daughter’s as he has. He was a complete embarrassment to the University and especially to his mother who work’s in our athletic department.
RamboDog
January 10th, 2012
9:01 pm
SEC: UGA embarasses us…
Read your paragraph above again, idiot. UGA has beaten Auburn 5 out of last 6, and Bama 2 of last 3….we WISH they were both in the SEC East so we would have these 2 conference wins…the state of Alabama is a HUGE JOKE>>>> !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
guy
January 10th, 2012
9:30 pm
No way to improve without a running game.The top brass at UGA that have the money and power should demand an offense that can run the ball or send someone to the exits. The most pitiful running game ever!
Orange11
January 10th, 2012
9:45 pm
Too many variables. Basically, the offensive side has red flags, suppossedly not blocking for Murray, a QB who gives important games away, leaving the D in pretty bad situations and on the field too long, play calling is substandard, when they have a lead they play conservative relieing on the D to win the game which is impossible as they are gassed, stupid penalties, play the other QBs so they can get game experience. Fix this and they may have a chance, don’t and they are probably looking at a year similar to 2011 and the only reason for that is the favorable schedule.
trupert
January 10th, 2012
9:48 pm
I’ll take Grantham over Vangorder. Go Dawgs!!!
Pago Pago DAWG
January 10th, 2012
10:09 pm
Word on the street…Mettenberger transfered out during the 3rd qtr.
We were at a luncheon at Sparty land when Saban was the hc, a nice enough chap.
He asked for a modest raise, the woman AD said no, the money should go for new curtains in her office. And you know the rest of the story….
Chris
January 10th, 2012
10:13 pm
As long as Bobo is our OC, why would anybody rank us in their top 10? We have a OC that isn’t even worthy of coaching a highshcool offense. We will probably win 10 games because of our weak schedule, we will beat most of the teams we should beat, and we’ll loose to the teams that have good coaching.
Dido every year that Mark Richt remains at Georgia, and throw in a couple of 7 or 8 win years when we have to play Bama and LSU. If all Georgia fans are satisfied with this mediocrity then more power to you, but I for one am not and will never understand why we settle for being a 2nd tier program when we have the tools to be one of the best.
big black kracker dawg
January 10th, 2012
10:21 pm
as long as Bobo and Murray are there we will never beat a top 10 ranked oponent….
buckeyedawg
January 10th, 2012
11:50 pm
How many years did it take Dooley to win national title? Interesting. Plus how many bad seasons to 1980? Interesting.
RED DOG 77
January 11th, 2012
12:48 am
@Bill King………..”The postseason is off to a pretty good start”…………Well hell yea, Bill! Thanks for your optomism …………I’m sure it is difficult keeping everyone happy while writing your “from a fans angle” blog…………..But frankly you have worried me during the 2011 season, glad to see you apparently have that “RED and BLACK” blood running freely through your veins……….cumadin anyone?…………..GO DOGS……..GATA………..2012 IS THE YEAR OF THE GGGEEEEEEOOOOOOORRRRRGIA BULLDOGS………..WOOF…….WOOF………..WOOF……RED
THE REAL PHIL
January 11th, 2012
2:48 am
This is just my position, but if it takes having a coach like Nick Saban or Urban Meyer OR a QB like Mettenberger that was kicked off another schools team for sexual assault, in order to win that crystal football, AL, FL and LSU are welcomed to all that they can carry as far as I am concerned.
Orlando Dawg.
January 11th, 2012
7:39 am
Zach Mettenberger may be a starter next year.LSU has a top rated QB who enrolled now in January and was told he would be given a chance to earn the starting job.
Vangorder’s deff with the Falcons were not great.The eagles shredded his deff as did greenbay,Saint’s,the bears and even the Seahawks.
Jorge O'leary
January 11th, 2012
8:15 am
Gators wont be down for long
Jorge O'leary
January 11th, 2012
8:15 am
Missed link: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/college/gators/os-florida-brent-pease-report-0110-20120110,0,7873153.story
JT
January 11th, 2012
8:26 am
Van Gorder inherited the talent at UGA and left it bare for Martinez. He killed the GSU program and got out when the heat was up. He left the Falcons when the heat was up. Grantham built our defense to what it is now with hard work…BVG may be a good defensive coach but he does not seem to be able to sustain or build a program…So Grantham is the better choice…Van Gorder was not a good recruiter…He left the cubbard bare…
Dawg4
January 11th, 2012
8:32 am
Is it true Boise State is courting Bobo as their OC?
JB
January 11th, 2012
8:43 am
Bobo is like all of us painting our house. We could do it…..but couldn’t do it for a living. That’s what we have in Bobo.
Old Dawg.
January 11th, 2012
8:55 am
Enter your comments here
Lakedawg
January 11th, 2012
9:00 am
Chris=waytogor—-Suggestion for both of your personalities—Take you big bucks you contribute to football program and your dumb ___ comments an pull got the nerds on North AVE, Oh you do that anyway.
When another coach in SEC gets up to CMR winning % then come back a complain that someone is winning more games
Half Century Dawg
January 11th, 2012
9:04 am
BusterBlue = Bobo of the AJC blogs
Old Dawg.
January 11th, 2012
9:09 am
All you people that are so worried about Van Gorder going to Auburn most have not watched the Falcons much this past season. worst team in Football with 3rd and long. No pass rush and the DBs didnot know how to cover. most of the time they looked stupid and uncoached. Glad He is gone mabe smith will hire a good DC. Grantham will out coach Him any day.
RollDog
January 11th, 2012
9:12 am
As long as Richt is HC, we’ll never win anything bigger than SEC east. The question then becomes: what do we (alumni) want? With Richt, we’ll be a perennial 10-win team, but shouldn’t we want to achieve something greater?
AltamahaDawg
January 11th, 2012
9:21 am
Why do I get the feeling that young Brian had a hard time sticking to any hobbies for very long growing up?
GulfShoresDawg
January 11th, 2012
9:24 am
Congrats to Bama…now go Dawgs and do it this Fall…