Fan talk: Thin secondary has some UGA fans worrying about Mizzou
Missouri's James Franklin will be facing a depleted Georgia secondary. (Associated Press)
The disciplinary action taken by Mark Richt against starting cornerback Sanders Commings suddenly has UGA fans viewing that early-season trip to Columbia, MO, in a different light. Along those lines, let’s dip into some of this week’s Junkyard Mail. …
Travis Gordon writes: With transfers, dismissals and little depth at cornerback, and also the suspension of Commings, should we be worried about Missouri’s air attack and DGB?
That SEC opener certainly is looking a lot more interesting than we first thought, isn’t it? In fact, it’s likely that it’ll wind up getting one of the conference’s Sept. 8 national television slots because of the high interest generated by it being Mizzou’s first SEC game, the possible playing debut of the nation’s No. 1 receiver prospect, Dorial Green-Beckham, and Georgia likely being a Top 10 team. The only other SEC games of national interest that week will be Washington at LSU and Florida at Texas A&M, one of which probably will get the other national spot. Anyway, yeah, the combination of Commings sitting out the game and Georgia being thin in the secondary will probably have Tigers QB James Franklin slinging the ball pretty frequently to T.J. Moe and Marcus Lucas, regardless of whether DGB makes it onto the field that early in the season. Fortunately, I don’t think Missouri’s defense is going to be anywhere near as tough as Georgia’s, so Aaron Murray is likely to do plenty of slinging on his own. And if the Dawgs also manage to get their running game on track, they should be able to give the Tigers the same sort of welcome to the SEC that South Carolina got in 1992. It’d sure be nice not to start out conference play 0-1 like the past two years!
Brett Miolen writes: What’s going on with our secondary? With the 2-game suspension of Sanders Commings and Nick Marshall and Chris Sanders being booted from the team, our DB situation is at DEFCON 4. What can we do to be ready for some of the passing offenses we will face this season? Should we move guys around or just try to use who we have? Either way it’s not a great situation.
I don’t think Buffalo, the season opener, will be much of a threat. Aside from the Missouri game, when Commings will be serving his suspension, Georgia will have one of the nation’s best starting secondaries, and as long as no one gets hurt it shouldn’t be a major problem. For Missouri, I imagine the Dawgs will make do with the supporting cast of Damian Swann, Marc Deas, Corey Moore, Quintavious Harrow and Devin Bowman, with incoming freshman Sheldon Dawson a longshot that early. I don’t really see the Georgia coaches using ace receiver Malcolm Mitchell on defense unless the situation gets really dire later in the season.
Jake Fleming writes: Why is it taking so long to extend Mark Richt and Todd Grantham’s contracts? Do you feel those contracts hurt us on this year’s recruiting?
Why is it taking so long? Lawyers. Last I saw, though, it was reported they were 98 percent there on the contracts, and the 2 percent still to be hammered out was minor stuff. What hurt in this season’s recruiting was all the Mark Richt “hot seat” talk early in the season. But UGA is on record as wanting both coaches to have contract extensions, so I doubt very much the recruiting situation for next year will be impacted at all.
Departing senior tight end Aron White majored in management/kinesiology. (University of Georgia)
C.A. Hopkins writes: Asking, because I don’t know: Is it possible to “major” in football? This is a serious question as the sport has evolved into a huge business. Not just the NFL, but all over the world. Billions of dollars in revenue. There needs to be classes on agents, finance, facilities, etc. The people that love the sport and are focused on that as a major part of their life should be able to get a focused education on making them professional, educated football graduates. It may sound silly, but years ago, being an Internet analyst was silly.
I don’t know about other schools, but UGA doesn’t have a football major, though there are sports-related majors, including exercise and sport science, athletic training, and sports management (which is really aimed at preparing future coaches/administrators). The closest to a football major is probably what Isaiah Crowell and Alec Ogletree are taking: health and physical education. Otherwise, Georgia’s football players have a pretty diverse list of majors. The nonsports majors showing up most frequently appear to be journalism, psychology, speech communications, housing, and child and family development, but you also have players majoring in international affairs, business/management, anthropology, family financial planning, health promotion, finance, biology, pre-med, economics, athletic training, management information systems, agricultural engineering, risk management and insurance, marketing, real estate, biomedical engineering, sociology, agricultural and applied economics, agricultural and environmental sciences, education, history, consumer economics, criminal justice, recreation and leisure studies, forestry and natural resources, and theater. As for whether a true football major might develop in the future, I’d say that’ll probably only happen in the unlikely event that the NCAA OKs paying the players.
Andy Trundle writes: Other than a soft schedule and some quality players returning, what actually justifies our high preseason ranking in football? Of course, preseason rankings are somewhat bogus, but how high do you honestly feel we should be ranked before play even starts?
The combination of a relatively soft schedule and quite a few quality players returning is as good a reason for a high preseason ranking as any. It all comes down to execution, of course, but I think the 2012 Dogs are easily a Top 15 team and if they play up to their full potential should manage to keep the Top 10 ranking that they’re likely to start out with.
Travis Hill writes: Special teams … I have no clue what or how this is going to change. Since Warren Belin left for the NFL we have had a drop-off for sure. This has to be addressed. I am interested in what Richt will do … if anything? This is especially scary since we will have a freshman kicker and punter.
Richt hasn’t indicated what he’s going to do but he has indicated that special teams will be a priority, so I imagine we will see some sort of change. Whether he names a position coach to also serve as special teams coordinator or simply loads up the special teams with starters and devotes more time to preparing them in practice, you’re right that Georgia can’t afford to let the status quo continue in that very important aspect of the game.
Recruiting remains the biggest challenge for Mark Fox. (AJC file)
Garrett Kee writes: Hey Bill! Hope you’re doing well! Again, condolences to you family for the loss of your father. He seemed like a great man and a Bulldog till the end. I wanted to kind of change the subject around from the traditional football talk to the action on the hardwood. Since it is basketball season and getting close to March, wanted to get your opinion on our basketball team this year. Do you think Mark Fox is the man who can lead this program to something more then an afterthought when college football ends to something to occasionally to watch before spring practice starts? Let’s face it, Georgia is a football school and will always be one; it’s our bread and butter. Fox has done tremendous things since he has gotten here. No doubt with the departures of [Travis] Leslie and [Trey] Thompkins, Fox was dealt a huge blow for this season, mainly no big threat in the inside. My question to you is do you think Fox can get this program to a point where every year an NCAA tourney birth is expected and occasionally a Sweet 16 birth is not a bizarre thought? [Kentavious] Caldwell-Pope and [Nemanja] Djurisic look to be great building blocks for the future. With our facilities and the talent that is in the state of Georgia for basketball, I don’t see why we can’t be with the Floridas of the world who are successful at football and basketball. Disappointment [this week] with the 1-point loss to South Carolina off the huge weekend upset of Mississippi State. Hopefully they can regroup and finish strong. Go Dawgs!
Thanks. You’re right on the mark when it comes to my Dad. As for Georgia basketball, I really like Mark Fox. I think he’s a good game coach, and I think if he’s able to put together a team with more than just one or two quality players, Georgia can indeed become a regular in the NCAAs. But that’s the big question mark still looming over Fox — his ability to recruit at the level needed to move the program up into the top half of the conference. I think he’s still got a year or two to get it done before Greg McGarity starts to get impatient for more progress.
Finally, our Redcoat Band buddy Brett Johnson writes: Hey Bill, If you haven’t heard or seen the news about the Band Bowl, the UGA Redcoat Band dominated a team wearing white who all coincidentally participate in the Georgia Tech band 21-6. Fox 5 did a very fun piece.
Yes, I did see that, Brett. I don’t know what your major is, but if it’s not public relations you’re missing your calling. You did a great job of getting the word out and drumming up interest in the Band Bowl. Congratulations on yet another UGA victory over the guys from the NATS!
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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174 comments Add your comment
BullDogMike
February 20th, 2012
2:18 pm
All I can keep thinking about, was our last two games. The defense played it’s heart out for three quarters against LSU, then just ran out of gas because our offense was non-existent. Way to many three and outs. Now, flash forward to bowl game. Once again, defense played lights out for three and a half quarters. Our offense was pathetic. Mich St. finally wore defense down enough to eke out a win. Of course they had lot’s of help with the worst decision making of any coaching staff in UGA history. What will make upcoming season any different ?
David
February 20th, 2012
3:23 pm
Universal Football Truth…If you have a strong pass rush…it will cover and make up for lack of talent in the secondary…If you don’t have a pass rush…it will expose even the best secondary…Universal Truth if Georgia can get to the QB it won’t matter what problems they have in the secondary.
Captain Obvious
February 20th, 2012
4:02 pm
The most underrated statistic in football: final score. Win that statistic, and you have a better than 99% chance of winning the game. Some would say a 100% chance, but nothing in life is that certain.
OldFan
February 20th, 2012
4:59 pm
UGA can’t beat Michigan State.
Lakedawg
February 20th, 2012
9:44 pm
Thomas Brown—No classes at tech today, for you to be able to throw that much worthless rubble.
For your information Coach Mark Richt has best winning% against teams with winning record thab any coach in SEC.
Using we in your posts slamming the Dawgs just points whata pitiful troll you are.
Thomas Brown
February 21st, 2012
2:26 am
Lakedawg, after you said Mark Richt would lose 1 game last season, he Lost Four (4) Games last season. This does NOT make you a better Bulldogs’ fan to run in here every off-season and BRAG how great Mark Richt and Mike Bobo are going to be – and, then, like Mark Richt and Mike Bobo BLAME Aaron Murray saying that Mark Richt and Mike Bobo cannot throw the football for Aaron Murray. This is what YOU SAID about last season all off-season last year, Lakedawg. And, this is what you said after the season.
Mark Richt is 67-30 over the last 8 years now. Mark Richt has Lost 30 games the last 8 years against teams with Inferior or Equal Talent, using the Scout.com Rankings over the previous 4 years prior to the game, which is nearly 4 Losses a season over the last 8 years, according to Coaches By The Numbers.
You running in here this off-season bragging how Mark Richt is the BEST COACH in The Entire SEC, is just more of the same with you. This also does NOT make you a better Bulldogs’ Football fan than I, sir. It only serves to make Mark Richt’s job here a cushy easy job, and puts no pressure of actually beating the good teams he plays – which he has NEVER done here, Lakedawg, sir.
You make up B.S., provide no URL Link to the B.S. you make up, LIE about what Mark Richt has done against the top teams, and when faced with the URL Links to the FACTS about what Mark Richt is NOT DOING against the better teams, you call me a Georgia tek fan. There is not 1 poster who reads that LAME weak post and thinks, oh my Gracious, Lakedawg, has finally hit on it : Thomas Brown is a Georgia tek fan – uh, no, that does not stick – not anymore than your B.S. that the Best Coach in The SEC is Mark Richt facing the facts of the 6 SEC teams in a Row who Won The National Championship, and Mark Richt not among them.
Mark Richt isn’t the best coach in The SEC. Far from it. He is mid-pack. He is paid mid-pack. He has performed mid-pack. His results are mid-pack. The only area where he is not mid-pack is his recruiting, which just makes it all the more obvious that he cannot coach.
Over the last 8 years, Mark Richt has had Top 10 Best Recruit Rankings according to Scout.com with an Average Ranking over the 8 years of # 8.
35 OTHER coaches at their schools over these last entire 8 years, have a BETTER win percentage Overall than Mark Richt, despite his Top 10 recruiting rankings according to Scout.com. He is merely 67-30 for a miserable win percentage of 69 % over these last 8 years of Top 10 Recruiting Rankings. He has Better Talent, and Loses 30 such games the last 8 years.
There ISN’T A COACH in The SEC that bad of ALL the Top SEC teams :
__________________________________________________________
Lakedawg January 8, 2012 2:26 pm
“Believe CMR, best winning % of any coach in SEC.”
__________________________________________________
Where do you MAKE UP THIS STUFF FROM ?
34-17 Bobby Petrino # 26 win % Arkansas 2008-2011
34-19 Mark Richt # 31 win % Georgia 2008-2011
49-12 Nick Saban # 2 win % Alabama 2007-2011
45-21 Mark Richt # 20 win % Georgia 2007-2011
75-17 Les Miles # 3 win % LSU 2005-2011
64-28 Mark Richt # 18 win % Georgia 2005-2011
30-10 Gene Chizik # 10 win % Auburn 2009-2011
24-16 Mark Richt # 43 win % Georgia 2009-2011
65-15 Ur ban Mey er # 4 win % Florida 2005-2010
54-24 Mark Richt # 19 win % Georgia 2005-2010
What does this actually make Mark Richt ?
# 6 Coach in The SEC comparing him to the others.
Win percentage.
In terms of National Championships :
2 Nick Saban
2 Urban Meyer
1 Gene Chizik
1 Les Miles
Of the 6 National Championships during OUR SLIDE, these coaches have Won ALL 6 National Championships, while YOU run onto our blogs thinking of what LIE you can post about Mark Richt to make him the # 1 Coach in The SEC.
That would NOT be the case, now would it ?
Lakedawg
Mark Richt is NOT the best coach in The SEC against the better teams, against the worst teams, against all teams, against some teams, against any group of teams Lakedawg.
Over there time in The SEC compared to Mark Richt same timeframe :
Nick Saban has been better than Mark Richt
Les Miles has been better than Mark Richt
Gene Chizik has been better than Mark Richt
Ur ban Mey er has been better than Mark Richt
Bobby Petrino has been better than Mark Richt
LIAR
Lakedawg
DAWGMAN
February 21st, 2012
2:41 am
As I recall last year’s start, the Bulldogs appeared to be in poor physical shape. The D, in particular, were gasping for breath with their hands on their hips, and their faces towards the Georgia sideline hoping that someone would notice that they were out of gas. This was near the middle of the second quarter. That’s on the coaches, folks. Contract extention, contract extention?? Are you kidding me?
Please lets not award ourselves the National Championship just yet. We don’t have National Championship caliber coaches. When you demand better performance from your coaches, you are more likely to get better performance from your team. Just listen to Nick’s players.
If winning ten against weak sisters floats your boat, just blow right on by here. If it don’t, think about this continuing problem. Let’s put a little shine back on the Red and Black!
Thomas Brown
February 21st, 2012
2:58 am
Lakedawg February 20th, 2012 9:44 pm
“For your information Coach Mark Richt has best winning % against teams with winning record thab any coach in SEC.”
______________________________________________________
Over their time in The SEC compared to Mark Richt same timeframe :
Nick Saban has been better than Mark Richt
Les Miles has been better than Mark Richt
Gene Chizik has been better than Mark Richt
Ur ban Mey er has been better than Mark Richt
Bobby Petrino has been better than Mark Richt
LIAR
Lakedawg
Mark Richt has LOST the last 7 games in a row vs teams who ended the season in the AP Poll Top 10.
Mark Richt has LOST the last 9 games in a row vs teams who ended the season in the AP Poll Top 25.
It hardly does your case any justice to run in here and state that Mark Richt is the
BEST COACH IN THE SEC
because YOU SAY Mark Richt has the BEST RECORD of all SEC Coaches in his timeframe his Mark Richt Era since 2001, eleven years, against over .500 teams.
over the last 11 years comparing Mark Richt with all other SEC Coaches over his Mark Richt era.
YOU DO NOT EVEN KNOW WHAT YOU ARE READING
Lakedawg.
What you are reading is
GAME DISTRIBUTION.
It says NOTHING about win percentage vs the Game Distribution.
It says GAME DISTRIBUTION.
http://coachesbythenumbers.com/coach-rankings/?reportId=33&c2001=on&c2002=on&c2003=on&c2004=on&c2005=on&c2006=on&c2007=on&c2008=on&c2009=on&c2010=on&c2011=on&minimumExperience=1&conferenceSelect=All&onlyConferenceYears=on&customizeViewSubmitted=Update+Ranking
Mark Richt has NOT WON the HIGHEST PERCENTAGE of games against teams with over a .500 percent win percentage when he played him.
It says NOTHING about winning or losing those games. It discusses ONLY
GAME DISTRIBUTION.
Georgia tek fan Lakedawg, showing your IGNORANCE as a Georgia tek fan like Georgia tek is so bloody great with their # 52 average recruiting class for Paul Johnson every year.
You cannot even read a URL Link and know what you are looking with the URL Link providing you what it is that they are presenting.
By the way, Lakedawg, there are SEVERAL Coaches in The SEC over the 11 years of Mark Richt era, who in fact have played MORE GAMES against teams over .500 as a percentage of their total games played than Mark Richt.
For example :
66.67 % Steve Spurrier SC games played vs over .500 teams
71.43 % Jackie Sherrill MS games played vs over .500 teams
65.97 % Mark Richt GA games played vs over .500 teams
in the Mark Richt era, the last 11 years, sir, comparing Mark Richt in his time over the last 11 years with all the other coaches in The SEC in their time at their school.
So, what we have is that Mark Richt did NOT play the LARGEST PERCENTAGE OF HIS GAMES vs teams over .500 in his Mark Richt era the last 11 years than SEVERAL other SEC coaches in their time at their school by DIRECT CONTRAST.
You are searching for an EXCUSE here anyway, since what it measures is GAME DISTRIBUTION, not
WIN PERCENTAGE vs over .500 teams.
Lakedawg.
Thomas Brown
February 21st, 2012
3:13 am
http://coachesbythenumbers.com/coach-profile/?coach=Mark+Richt
60-35 Mark Richt vs teams over .500
63 % Win Percentage vs teams over .500 Mark Richt
Thomas Brown
February 21st, 2012
3:13 am
http://coachesbythenumbers.com/coach-profile/?coach=Nick+Saban
52-23 Nick Saban vs teams over .500
69 % Win Percentage vs teams over .500 Nick Saban
Thomas Brown
February 21st, 2012
3:14 am
http://coachesbythenumbers.com/coach-profile/?coach=Urban+Meyer
53-24 Ur ban Mey er vs teams over .500
71 % Win Percentage vs teams over .500 Ur ban Mey er
Thomas Brown
February 21st, 2012
3:15 am
Lakedawg February 20th, 2012 9:44 pm
“For your information Coach Mark Richt has best winning% against teams with winning record thab any coach in SEC.”
__________________________________________________
LIES
Thomas Brown
February 21st, 2012
3:28 am
Win % vs teams finishing AP Poll Top 25 :
41.46 % Mark Richt 17-24
42.11 % Tommy Tuberville 16-22
43.18 % Les Miles 19-25
47.37 % Gene Chizik 9-10
51.52 % Nick Saban 17-16
51.72 % Ur ban Mey er 15-14
http://coachesbythenumbers.com/coach-profile/?coach=tommy+tuberville
Replace end of string with first name + last name
Thomas Brown
February 21st, 2012
3:36 am
So, instead of # 1 best coach of all the coaches who competed against Mark Richt in the Mark Richt era here at Georgia against the better teams, Mark Richt is in fact the # 6 Best Coach of The SEC Coaches vs teams who ended the season in the AP Poll Top 25, according to not you and not me, but according to Coaches By The Numbers.
# 1 Ur ban Mey er
# 2 Nick Saban
# 3 Gene Chizik
# 4 Les Miles
# 5 Tommy Tuberville
# 6 Mark Richt
# 6 best win % coach of SEC Coaches vs teams ending AP Top 25
mid-pack not # 1, sir,
Lakedawg
Thomas Brown
February 21st, 2012
3:51 am
http://coachesbythenumbers.com/coach-rankings/?reportId=20&c2001=on&c2002=on&c2003=on&c2004=on&c2005=on&c2006=on&c2007=on&c2008=on&c2009=on&c2010=on&c2011=on&minimumExperience=1&conferenceSelect=All&onlyConferenceYears=on&customizeViewSubmitted=Update+Ranking
# 19 nationally Top 25 at time of game Mark Richt
# 55 nationally Bowl Record 7-4 Mark Richt
# 19 nationally BCS Bowl Record 2-1 Mark Richt
# 19 nationally Conference Championship Record 2-2 Mark Richt
# 1 SEC Ur ban Mey er BETTER than Mark Richt
# 2 SEC Nick Saban BETTER than Mark Richt
# 3 SEC Gene Chizik BETTER than Mark Richt
# 4 SEC Les Miles BETTER than Mark Richt
# 5 SEC Tommy Tuberville EVEN, BETTER than Mark Richt
# 6 SEC Mark Richt is NOT # 1 in SEC by a LONG-SHOT
by a FAR CRY Lakedawg
mid-pack of SEC Coaches Mark Richt, sir, Lakedawg LIAR
since when is # 6 SEC Coaches, # 1 SEC Coaches ?
Thomas Brown
February 21st, 2012
3:54 am
# 22 nationally Big Game Index Mark Richt
click last column
http://coachesbythenumbers.com/coach-rankings/?reportId=20&c2001=on&c2002=on&c2003=on&c2004=on&c2005=on&c2006=on&c2007=on&c2008=on&c2009=on&c2010=on&c2011=on&minimumExperience=1&conferenceSelect=All&onlyConferenceYears=on&customizeViewSubmitted=Update+Ranking
Thomas Brown
February 21st, 2012
4:36 am
Win % vs teams AP Poll Top 5 time of game:
72 % Ur ban Mey er 8-3 # 1
62 % Tommy Tuberville 5-3 # 2
53 % Nick Saban 7-6 # 3
44 % Les Miles 8-10 # 4
33 % Bobby Petrino 2-6 # 5
25 % Mark Richt 2-8 # 6
Thomas Brown
February 21st, 2012
7:27 am
Lakedawg February 20th, 2012 9:44 pm
“For your information than any coach in SEC, Coach Mark Richt has best winning% against teams with winning record.”
You could just save yourself the embarrassment, and catch yourself right there. Anytime you start a statement in which your point is that Mark Richt is the best coach in The SEC, just catch yourself before you hit Submit Comment.
The # 6 coach in The SEC is NOT the # 1.
Lakedawg February 20th, 2012 9:44 pm
“For your information than any coach in SEC, Coach Mark Richt has best winning% against teams with winning record.”
_______________________________________
No he does NOT Lakedawg. Does he sir ?
Bulldawgman49
February 21st, 2012
8:21 am
No worries here . I am sure there will be a Game plan in place to counter the so call air attack that Mizzou has if one guy steps up that we have waiting in the wings we will be fine . There is one guy I hope gets a chance I think u will hear this name alot Sailors. this guy is a beast on special teams .
Go Dawgs !!!
duronimo
February 21st, 2012
9:48 am
I would point out the obvious. 1. Georgia doesn’t beat good teams. 2. Missouri is a good team
3. Georgia won’t beat them regardless of the secondary turnover. It’s not personnel that causes Georgia to lose games.
Aaron Murray sling it around?
February 21st, 2012
10:56 am
Let’s hope not, dude is too short to carry this team. His play in big games seems like he shares Isaiah’s bong with him on the sidelines.
william
February 21st, 2012
4:10 pm
Didn’t Logan Gray go back to Missouri? Do you think he will get a chance for some playing time?
william
February 21st, 2012
4:11 pm
Nevermind…it was colorado…..
Thomas Brown
February 22nd, 2012
7:41 am
17-13 Mark Richt vs Down SEC East teams the Current 6-Year Period.