Early projection for season sees Dawgs standing pat
RPI pioneer and BCS expert Jerry Palm came out with his ridiculously early bowl projections this week for CBSsports.com.
Palm has LSU winning the SEC championship and meeting Southern Cal in the BCS Championship game. With the SEC champ headed to the national title game, he sees the Sugar Bowl taking Alabama to play West Virginia of the Big 12 rather than the SEC runner-up, which he once again predicts will be Georgia. He has the Dogs playing Big 10 runner-up Nebraska in the Capitol One Bowl in Orlando.
So obviously he sees Georgia losing to LSU again in the conference championship.
(Some of you might ask, if the SEC champ normally goes to the Sugar Bowl and instead goes to the BCS, why wouldn’t the No. 2 team in the conference take their place in the Sugar? Because that’s not the way the bowls work! The loser of the SEC championship game usually doesn’t get a BCS bid because they’re usually not the second highest-ranked conference team in the polls.)
Palm has 10 of the SEC’s 14 teams playing in bowls, with South Carolina in the Outback, Arkansas in the Cotton, Auburn in the Chick-fil-A, Florida in the Gator, Texas A&M in the Music City, Missouri in the Liberty and Mississippi State in the BBVA Compass.
Of course, these projections are good for nothing more than an excuse to talk college football during March Madness, but it does raise a question for fans: If Palm’s scenario plays out, Georgia would once again win the SEC East but also would lose again to LSU in the Georgia Dome and wind up in a non-BCS bowl, though one notch higher than this past season’s Outback Bowl.
So it essentially would be a replay of the 2011 season, only with a slightly better bowl.
Obviously, that would be a successful season for Mark Richt’s program. But would you find it satisfying? After suffering through a losing season, winning the SEC East looked awfully good to UGA fans. But would a second straight season of conference bridesmaid status look as good? Especially considering all the starters that Georgia returns and an infusion of highly regarded talent, especially in the backfield?
Feel free to share your thoughts and expectations for the 2012 season.
A STRONG EXPENDITURE
UGA has released the salaries for its newly reconfigured strength and conditioning staff, and the Athens Banner-Herald notes the program will be spending $108,039 more annually in that area, with salaries totaling $440,000 for the five-person staff. That includes $140,000 for former Penn State strength director John Thomas, who’ll be senior associate director of strength and conditioning, and $85,000 for speed specialist Sherman Armstrong, the associate strength and conditioning coach. Senior director of strength and conditioning Joe Tereshinski will make $150,000.
Considering the Dogs’ problems over the past couple of years with fading in the fourth quarter, the upgrading of the S&C staff looks like money well spent to me.
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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237 comments Add your comment
Whopper Dawg
March 16th, 2012
11:48 am
This year has to be the year for richie. Easiest schedule he will have for the next decade, the entire defense leaves in 2013, a three year starter at QB and two no 1 rated backs in the backfield.
If he doesn’t get it done this year, he never, never will.
Still@theKool-aidBAR
March 16th, 2012
11:50 am
it looks like Thomas Brown, 13-1, headly lemar, WnE, buLLdawg has a new name maybe…………GreasedStar.
Dawg Tired
March 16th, 2012
11:50 am
Greased Star’s analysis is interesting and may well be pretty accurate. Personally, I think there are two games he says we will lose that we must win to have any chance of having a reasonably good season,: South Carolina and Florida. Greased Star has hit the nail on the head in identifying one of our biggest concerns when he points out that Murray has faltered big-time under pressure. He personally lost the South Carolina game last year by coughing up the ball instead of just bitting the buullet and taking the sack. He also lost the bowl game by being unable to differentiate jersey colors oh, I know T.King may have quit on a route causing an interception, but Murray bears the bulk of the blame for those ints.).
Greased Star is probably on the money abut Mettenberger being better than Murray. If that is true, and I repeat that it may well be true, we are in more trouble than originally thought be many, because it was pretty clear before Mett was thrown off the team that CMR and Bobo had decieded to give the starting job to Murray anyway. This failure to play your best players is troubling. Some seem to be able to do no wrong in the coaches’ eyes and other s seem able to no good in those same eyes.
Bottom line: Being optimistic with this crew is difficult.
Clay
March 16th, 2012
11:53 am
As a Georgia grad, I would sign up for this right now. I know that anything can happen on any given day; but, right now, I think LSU and Bama are better than UGA and winning 10 games and the East would be a fine season.
DIT
March 16th, 2012
11:54 am
“Bottom line: Being optimistic with this crew is difficult.”
I could not agree more. However, it’s my crew so I’m staying on the wagon!
David
March 16th, 2012
11:56 am
Gee GreasedStar, if UGA loses all those games during the season like you predict there, then how do they even play LSU? Not to bright, are you? You are from Alabama, correct?
SavDawg
March 16th, 2012
11:59 am
always been a supporter of CMR. Still love the guy but i think the game and the other coaches in college FB has passed him by. It seems we do a decent job of recruiting but just cannot turn it into championships. Reminds me of Bobby Dodd, satisified with 7-3 seasons!!
dawgfacedboy
March 16th, 2012
12:09 pm
I wouldn’t call a non BCS game a successful year, not with the talent they have coming back and their schedule. THe “expert” is probably right though. I would expect this year to mirror last year.
Kingdaddy
March 16th, 2012
12:11 pm
I’m not going to just mail it in and accept that we’ve already lost the SEC., Given a little luck this year, Matthew ball will bounce our way this year. 2012, The year of the Perfect Storm. Why don’t you ask Alabama if they would be satisfied with 3rd in the SEC AGAIN…Didn’t think so…
Rusty
March 16th, 2012
12:11 pm
LSU will struggle this year, mark my words. I would bet the farm they will not be in the SEC Championship this year…..
As far as winning 10 games and the east-that works but would still be disapointed w/ an SEC championship loss and going to the Capital One bowl… Ready for another BCS game.
GTBob
March 16th, 2012
12:12 pm
If UGA can’t win the SEC with the talent and the schedule they have this season then do they ever expect to win it again?
Kingdaddy
March 16th, 2012
12:14 pm
Maybe not Matthew
Kingdaddy
March 16th, 2012
12:17 pm
GTBob
They expect to win it Every Year.
Calhoundawg
March 16th, 2012
12:18 pm
Watching teen-agers play a game is the Kool-Aid, watching your beloved home state college football team play for the glory of the school and the state is the buzz. If all of the crap about winning “this” and reaching “this plateau” meant anything at all, 99 of the 112 division one teams would just quit altogether and never play another game. We beat Auburn, Tennessee, Florida, and Georgia Tech in the same season for the first time in thirty years (and win the division), and some of y’all whine like babies.
You joke about Richt getting a new contract for going 10-4 as if it were nothing. Well, once again, I submit Tennessee for your consideration. In the year before his unceremonious firing, Phil Fulmer’s last contract gave him a bonus — yes, a bonus for winning at least eight games. You’ll have to use both hands, but I think you can count to eight. Tennessee has had four losing seasons in the last seven years. That’s LOSING seasons!! Quite trying to sound like ESPN analysts and pull for the Dawgs or switch to Ohio State, LSU, or Texas. Frankly, real UGA fans don’t give a darn.
Go Dawgs !!!!
A Father
March 16th, 2012
12:21 pm
If you are not FIRST, you are Last.
If you are satisfied as many GA fans seem to be with not being first, then obviously they enjoy being last.
The same GA fans wonder why outsiders laugh at them, clue to GA fans, they have an extreme willingness to finish last
DIT
March 16th, 2012
12:24 pm
@Calhoundawg
Bingo! Best post of the year by a UGA fan. I expect fans of other teams to lay into us. It’s what each of us do to one anothers team, but to sit here and read other fans from UGA rip UGA a part is pretty clueless. I get the frustration, but a true fan sticks by the team through thick and thin.
Calhoundawg
March 16th, 2012
12:31 pm
@ A Father — if all you’re concerned with is “finishing first”, then just wait until after the national championship game each year and buy the shirt. I bleed Red & Black. Anyway, thanks for making my point
P.S. How does winning your division in the toughest conference in the land equate to finishing last? How old are you, eleven?
DIT
March 16th, 2012
12:36 pm
I have to say “A Father” I did not agree with that post either. No one wins the NC every year.
Don’t get me wrong, I would like very much to see improvement. However, as much as I enjoy watching my Dawgs play they are not the top priority that I would put so much effort into “If you are not FIRST, you are Last.”
dawgSTILE
March 16th, 2012
12:36 pm
As an honest to goodness UGA fan I just wish WE had a coach with the CHARACTER, COACHING ABILITY and GOOD LOOKS of ALABAMA”S NICK SABIN!
Still@theKool-aidBAR
March 16th, 2012
12:37 pm
Calhound……finishing 1 in a weak division and being the 5th best in the SEC is not a great selling point.
The “if you are not 1st you are last” is stupid. If you think Ricky Bobby is quotable then you have some serious problems.
WDE
March 16th, 2012
12:38 pm
@dawgSTILE that’s the funniest post I’ve read in a while..thanks I needed a laugh.
Joey
March 16th, 2012
12:40 pm
Well, nobody’s ever heard me “rip UGA,” ever. Never will.
But loving UGA and UGA football does not mean a fan has to love Mark Richt.
WDE
March 16th, 2012
12:40 pm
Oh and early projection hell…lets actually line up and play…I’m not sold we can win 10 anymore than I’m sold Bama or LSU wins the SEC…a LOT can happen in the next 6 months..
HOUDAWG
March 16th, 2012
12:41 pm
Hey Goldenrod …… go back & check the last 40+ years. Your little yellow britches grab a win about every 7 years or so (on average). Big talk for such a punk ……
WDE
March 16th, 2012
12:43 pm
@Calhoundawg if your running for public office with your 12:18 post you got my vote..well said.
DIT
March 16th, 2012
12:44 pm
That was not my point at all Joey. It was really for the ones that expect UGA to finish 1st every year and when it does not happen they act so surprised and start ripping into Richt’s character and things that have nothing to do about his coaching. Not sure where it was stated that “a fan has to love Mark Richt.” He is our coach and we should support him. Has he made some calls that make one scratch their head? Absolutley. Every coach has.
Joey
March 16th, 2012
12:49 pm
“No one wins the NC every year.”
********************************
No, but Richt is 0-for-11. SEC coaches have won 7 BCS Titles since Mark Richt has been at UGA. And if anybody thinks any of those coaches had more talent on their Title teams than Richt’s best teams (’02, ‘03, ‘07, ‘08), go to your UGA Mediaguide and see how many of those players went to the NFL.
George Stein
March 16th, 2012
12:51 pm
Not to be difficult, but didn’t the SEC runner-up last year go to the Outback?
Y’all should have a nice season either way, though.
Still@theKool-aidBAR
March 16th, 2012
12:51 pm
The one word that says why UGa will not win the SEC and a BCS MNC.
BOBO!
DIT
March 16th, 2012
12:54 pm
Joey, I never said that Richt is the best coach. I simply said that he is the coach at UGA and I support him. Again, I would like it very much to see UGA win a NC game, but because we have not it does change my perspective on what the important things are in life. College Football is a hobby, it’s not a do or die life changing issue.
Buckeye
March 16th, 2012
12:54 pm
Hey dogs,
Got hasbrowns?
DIT
March 16th, 2012
12:55 pm
@Still@theKool-aidBAR
You’re a tech supporter right? Just curious
JB
March 16th, 2012
12:55 pm
And based on the new contract, the powers to be in Athens will be more that satisfied with that. 11 years of it, why not another 5?
The Factor
March 16th, 2012
12:56 pm
@Greased Star,
1) You are a pinhead
2) So, SC has UGA’s #? That, in and of itself, disqualifies you from making any sense at all. A quote from SSpurrier after last years game, “Give Georgia credit, they beat us on both sides of the ball. We won on the scoreboard, sometimes it happens that way..”
3) You are a pinhead
ole dawg
March 16th, 2012
12:56 pm
Great posts Calhoundawg and DIT! I will add… I don’t have to agree with CMR and staff on every single issue to support them. There is a difference in disagreeing and just flat out bit–ing and moaning ALL THE TIME! If I were as miserable as some of these supposed UGA supporters I do believe I would just find another team to root for… or maybe just spend more time with my family. Have a great day yall!!!
Lakedawg
March 16th, 2012
12:57 pm
Do not understand the easy schedule part other than the home games, should win all 7 of those. To me Missouri, S. Car., Fla., and Aub on the road are not easy in any way. Believe we win 3 of those plus Kent, making an 11-1 regular season. Also believe we beat LSU this time areound in Dome.
2013 looks like a great home schedule shaping up vs this year. Could play Bammer, S. Car., Missou, Aub., and Kent at home. Course we lose 10 out of 11 starters on D., but have faith that Coach Grantham has some young Dawgs ready to hunt by then.
william
March 16th, 2012
12:59 pm
A) it depends if we have a solid lead and lose it again in the second half. Cause then I would be upset. B) I think we can beat them C) if we do lose because they are just that much better than we are, I won’t be upset at that
JB
March 16th, 2012
1:00 pm
And we lose 10 defensive starters for the 2013 season. Ought to be interesting.
The Factor
March 16th, 2012
1:00 pm
@SavDawg
I know, averaging 10 wins a year since Richt arrived really sucks…
(in any other conference he would be god like)
Still@theKool-aidBAR
March 16th, 2012
1:01 pm
DIT yes and I still don’t think BOBO has what it takes to beat the best in the SEC. he has had the talent often enough and just hasn’t delivered. He will cost Richt his job I think. Richt will not fire/demote him and that could be Right’s end.
Gatormeat
March 16th, 2012
1:01 pm
I don’t see this year being any different than 1998, 2005, and 2008, years that followed rare dog wins over Florida in which the Mighty Gators came back and beat you back into your kennels. Our offense will be fast and explosive, our defense smothering and it should be fairly easy to put the series back to where it should be, in our favor. By the way, we are also in the NCAA tournament, you are not. When it comes to big time sports you are like our younger stepbrother. See you dogs in October to give you your beating
Score Check
March 16th, 2012
1:02 pm
Coach Sick Satan = SCUM
Tweak your knee and he leaves you twisting in the wind
DIT
March 16th, 2012
1:03 pm
OK, I thought you were. Just wanted to make sure. Who would suggest Richt should hire as a new OC?
Calhoundawg
March 16th, 2012
1:03 pm
Look, as a fan(atic), I want to win “the big one” as much as anyone, but as a realist who loves my team and the game itself, there are so many other things to consider and from which to take pride. UGA is consistently one of the highest achieving academic teams in the SEC. Remember, this is a COLLEGE. They are and have been a perennial “pipeline” to the NFL for years as well. CMR may not yet have won “the big one”, but he is one of the most successful coaches — and over a long period of time — in the entire country. Let me say again for the umpteenth time; Vince Dooley didn’t win his third SEC Championship until his 13th season, and didn’t win his national championship until his 16th season. Mark Richt can still beat both marks. Until next time …
God Bless you, Coach Richt. God Bless Georgia. Go Dawgs !!!!!
JB
March 16th, 2012
1:04 pm
Kool aide….. Did you say cost Richt his job? LOL. 6-6 and losing to UCF in a bowl. Not Bobo, but THAT should do it. And yes, he’s a great guy.
Doggie
March 16th, 2012
1:05 pm
Love it when techies come on here this time of year predict a win against the dawgs this coming fall. Hilarious. That one win y’all had ticked us off so bad that it gonna happen again for a while. Just accept it.
LawDawg
March 16th, 2012
1:06 pm
Well, LSU has just about everyone of note (particularly on D) returning from a very, very good team (and Bama is losing a ton), so making it to the SECCG and losing would still be a successful season in my opinion. I am not sure if it would be “satisfying” unless we had a very good record going into the SECCG (1 loss max or two losses with one to Mizzou due to not having a secondary for that game) and won the bowl game against a decent opponent.
People who think that the only measure of success is winning the toughest conference in football year in year out or being in the NC (2 teams out of 120) every year are people who really do not understand anything about college football.
JB
March 16th, 2012
1:06 pm
Gatormeat…You’re missing a HC….or should I say proven head coach. That Florida roster was full of 5 star guys last year…..so………………….Jury still out on Muschamp. I know you have hope.
DIT
March 16th, 2012
1:06 pm
Thanks for the good laugh Gatormeat. I needed that one. It was getting a little too tense on this blog.
@Still…. You could be right. Bobo has not made the changes at half time in many games that need to be made. Also, I know that he had the right plays called, but it was poor execution on the players part that made those plays look more awful than what they were.
I personally would like to see Bobo be the QB coach and for CMR to find another OC or he himself take over that position again.
13-1 SEC East Champions 2012
March 16th, 2012
1:07 pm
With all the cupcakes we play 2012, with at most 1 who will show up in the top 25 in the only published poll for the 2012 season and we should have beat that 1 team both of the last 2 years and failed both times, there is this 1-year window 2012.
Not only because we don’t duck LSU and Alabama 2013 in the regular season, we will not be in The SEC Championship Game – to have our Hats handed to us again – in 2013; but, also because 11 of the 12 players we have who will be Starters for us on Defense 2012 – will ALL leave after this season.
13-1.
And, that means of course that we would not have beat any team who ends up in any top 25 poll published for 2012, either. Just as we haven’t beat a team in any published poll for 2010, 2011 and now 2012.
Yeah, it’s getting old.