Dawgs as consensus favorites: ‘A lot of pressure on us’
Vegas thinks Mark Richt will be striking this pose after every regular season game in 2012. (Jason Getz / AJC)
We’ve already established that Vegas oddsmakers like the 2012 Dawgs, but it turns out they’re so high on Mark Richt’s upcoming team that the folks who come up with point spreads have installed UGA as the early favorite in every game on the schedule.
At the Golden Nugget, Georgia is a 3-point favorite over Missouri, a 13.5-point favorite over Tennessee, a 2.5-point favorite over South Carolina, a 4.5-point favorite over Florida and a 6-point favorite over Auburn. And Pregame.com rates Georgia as the favorite in every game on its schedule.
Of course, as has been discussed here, Richt teams have had a disturbing tendency in the past to falter under high expectations, and playing as the favorite every week is going to be as big a challenge this season as rebuilding that offensive line and getting the special teams to quit rolling gutter balls.
The Athens Banner-Herald talked with a couple of the team leaders about Georgia playing as the favorite at the Pigskin Preview in Macon.
“It’s great that people say that, but I think it does put a lot of pressure on us to go out and just win games,” safety Shawn Williams said.
And quarterback Aaron Murray noted that, with a key difference, the Dawgs face a similar problem to last year, when they had to ignore all the media noise about their coach being on the “hot seat.”
“Our motto last year was, ‘We’re on the bus and we’re not listening to any outside noise,’” Murray said. “There was a lot of negative noise, and we wanted to ignore that. The hard thing now is to ignore all the positives and people wanting to pat you on the back and tell you that you’re great and this and that. We have to ignore that, too, and just do what we did last year.”
Or better.
After last year’s 0-2 start, the Dogs reeled off 10 straight wins and took the SEC East, only to end the season with a couple of disappointing losses. But as a team loaded with returning talent and playing the favorite’s role every week this fall, just notching 10 regular season wins again probably won’t be viewed as an entirely satisfactory outcome by many in the Bulldog Nation.
Loading ...But what would constitute a disappointing season in your eyes? Less than 10 wins? Or perhaps anything less than the SEC championship? Feel free to weigh in with a comment, vote in the poll or both.
Got something you want to discuss concerning UGA athletics or a question for the Junkyard Blawg? Send it to junkyardblawg@gmail.com.
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340 comments Add your comment
SSIgator
June 13th, 2012
11:57 am
RedandBlackDAWG -
“the Gators already have the crystal ball wrapped up”
No, not this year, but we do have three since 1996 and UGA has . . .
Ghost
June 13th, 2012
11:57 am
Vance, Can avoid close calls and win a couple extra if our FG kicker doesn’t miss 14 FG’s.
GTBob
June 13th, 2012
11:59 am
Observations – The piece on the GT kid getting arrested over the weekend… Guess what, NO BLOG COMMENTS. Thats fair journalism AJC!!!
Their wasn’t a blog about it so why would there be blog comments? Besides, we all know the moral of the story anyways. If you want to stay out of trouble then stay out of Athens.
GTBob
June 13th, 2012
12:01 pm
Well Bob, evidently you nerds never learn either!! This is a UGA blog, yet here you are again with absolutely nothing of value to say
I say the same thing I say every preseason when all of the UGA fans start predicting a National Championship. Maybe one day you guys will actually open your eyes and see what is really going on. I doubt it though, you seem to be happy in fantasy land.
italian_29
June 13th, 2012
12:03 pm
You know I always wonder about the people that say CMR does less with more. Harold, yes CMR is good at getting talent into Athens, but if you will look at the ranking each year that CMR has been head coach, there have been AT LEAST 2, if not 3 SEC teams that, according to the rankings that have recruited BETTER. The way that I look at it, since CMR has 2 SEC Championships and 4, 5 if you count shared, SEC East Titles, then he is doing more with LESS. Still, I don’t care, he is the head coach for the GA Bulldawgs and I support the team, that includes the head coach. Now, if GM decides to can him and hire someone else, I will support them and not MR. GO DAWGS & GATA!!!!
gbal
June 13th, 2012
12:08 pm
I really do not understand all the hype for UGA this season guys? I mean OL problems, just average at receiver, we dont have any proven running backs,… potential yes but untested. We have freshmen comming in for kicking duty; Murray is good, but he does have his faults with TO’s. Everyone says we are so predictable on Offense and no indication that that is going to change…..We have our D with major suspensions to start the season… when they come back will they be game ready??? I just dont see it. I am the biggest of dawg fans but I just dont see where these high expectations are realistic which puts CMR and the team in a hot seat situation even if they lose just 2 games.
And if we do lose a couple in the first half, the complaining will start based on these high expectations and I see it hurting this recruiting class.
It a Spurier Conspiracy ….. He’s gotta be behind it!
gbal
June 13th, 2012
12:11 pm
The press creates all the hype, not the UGA fans…. Just many start believing it after a while…
Again … Spurrier is behind it!
AltamahaDawg
June 13th, 2012
12:16 pm
I’m with Mobile on that one. It’s absolutely ridiculous to try to say that with Grantham, we WOULD have wom the title in 2008. Let’s consider these realities:
That was perhaps one of UF better teams in modern times, so assuming we beat tebow on that mission is a stretch. Looked better, perhaps.
The next best team I saw that year was Alabama. In your assumptions, we would have had to have beat them TWICE, then Oklahoma (which just as many folks thought were number one going in as they did Georgia)
Grantham’s style is almost entirely based on a Big fierce front line. Are you suggesting that we would be this good IFJenkins, Washington, and Geathers go down early, and thier back-up are hobbled at times? That’s the equivalent of that Grantham would have dealt with in 2008. Then add that he would not have been able to substitute at LB for the second half of the year. And let put a cast on Rambo’s hand while we are at it.
Hell, YOU’ve got Grantham’s Dawgs losing FIVE games this year because he is down a few of starters for a game or two, and you think he goes 13-1, or 14-0 that year?
AltamahaDawg
June 13th, 2012
12:17 pm
I’m with Mobile on that one. It’s absolutely ridiculous to try to say that with Grantham, we WOULD have wom the title in 2008. Let’s consider these realities:
That was perhaps one of UF better teams in modern times, so assuming we beat tebow on that mission is a stretch. Looked better, perhaps.
The next best team I saw that year was Alabama. In your assumptions, we would have had to have beat them TWICE, then Oklahoma (which just as many folks thought were number one going in as they did Georgia)
Grantham’s style is almost entirely based on a Big fierce front line. Are you suggesting that we would be this good IFJenkins, Washington, and Geathers go down early, and thier back-up are hobbled at times? That’s the equivalent of that Grantham would have dealt with in 2008. Then add that he would not have been able to substitute at LB for the second half of the year. And let put a cast on Rambo’s hand while we are at it.
Hell, YOU’ve got Grantham’s Dawg’s losing FIVE games this year because he is down a couple of starters for a game or two, and you think he goes 13-1, or 14-0 that year?
gbal
June 13th, 2012
12:17 pm
GT – Thats what I am saying …. AJC would have had a blog had it been a UGA player…..
Suprised the headline didnt read:
“GT player hanging out with UGA players at the Bores Head, gets arrested.”
Like our regular headline:
Georgia looses recruit to ________” And he’s just from Georgia
AltamahaDawg
June 13th, 2012
12:18 pm
Enter your comments hereI’m with Mobile on that one. It’s absolutely ridiculous to try to say that with Grantham, we WOULD have wom the title in 2008. Let’s consider these realities:
That was perhaps one of UF better teams in modern times, so assuming we beat tebow on that mission is a stretch. Looked better, perhaps.
The next best team I saw that year was Alabama. In your assumptions, we would have had to have beat them TWICE, then Oklahoma (which just as many folks thought were number one going in as they did Georgia)
Grantham’s style is almost entirely based on a Big fierce front line. Are you suggesting that we would be this good IFJenkins, Washington, and Geathers go down early, and thier back-up are hobbled at times? That’s the equivalent of that Grantham would have dealt with in 2008. Then add that he would not have been able to substitute at LB for the second half of the year. And let put a cast on Rambo’s hand while we are at it.
Hell, YOU’ve got Grantham’s Dawg’s losing FIVE games this year because he is down a couple of starters for a game or two, and you think he goes 13-1, or 14-0 that year?
Brainiac(Dawg for life/Richt fan for life)
June 13th, 2012
12:19 pm
@ Harold:
Who would name a baby “Harold”???
You obviously know less about more than anyone on here!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Columbus Dawg
June 13th, 2012
12:19 pm
@ italian-29, which teams were the ones consistently recruiting better than Georgia? Were they the same teams that every one in the nation feels cheat year in and year out in order to get top players? I for one want to win a Natty just like everyone else, but without an * beside it. From your post I think you feel the same way. There will always be morons like harold, and there will always be inbreeding in Alabama. The Mighty Bulldogs will get their due in 2012, I can just feel it. I did not feel it in 2008, however. I think what CMR said about everyone being healthy heading into fall camp is huge! There is a reason why so many haters from the likes of Bama and others this preseason, it is because they feel threatened.
Spanky
June 13th, 2012
12:20 pm
” I say the same thing I say every preseason when all of the UGA fans start predicting a National Championship.”……… read gbal’s post at 12:11…… The press and Vegas are the prediction-makers. I will, however- BOB, predict that no one will shive a git about your stupid little comments…now bugger off!!
Holy Guacamole
June 13th, 2012
12:25 pm
harold – again, see the post at 10:25.
THE Dixie Redcoat Band
June 13th, 2012
12:35 pm
Oh boy, here we go again…the DAWGS will run a table.
AltamahaDawg
June 13th, 2012
12:38 pm
Insider, you’ve got Grantham’s Dawg’s losing 5 games this year because he is without a few starters for a game or two, BUT in 2008 he would have gone 31-1, or 14-0? No kidding?
Just for clarification: That’s beating that 2008 Tebow Machine, then that Alabama team (twice), then that Oklahoma team (that just as many folks thought were #1 going in)?
And he would have done that with the equalivant issues as losing Geathers, Jenkins, Washington, Ogletree, (too many backup ot even name), and Rambo in a handcast?
This is your honest opinion?
Eisendawg
June 13th, 2012
12:39 pm
I don’t like looking at the flip side. It’s negative and counter productive. To sit here and wonder how many games we can lose to put our coaches and players on a hot seat is a totally negative way of thinking, and I refuse to take part in such silly thinking. You take them one game at a time, and try to win every one of them.
Old Dog
June 13th, 2012
12:40 pm
Pre-season champions again? When will we ever learn? What have we changed? We have the same Head Coach. We have the same offensive coach. We have the same quarterback. Why are we expecting a better season than last year? Have all three suddenly “learned their lessons” (maybe after studying the game of football) and they will do things a lot differently this year? I predict 10 or less wins this season. We will see at the end who is more accurate in their prediction.
AltamahaDawg
June 13th, 2012
12:41 pm
…..and Grantham could have played LT a game or two as well.
AltamahaDawg
June 13th, 2012
12:42 pm
13-1. Not a highschool basketball scheduel.
Old Dog
June 13th, 2012
12:43 pm
I would have a lot more confidence if our Head Coach would jerk our QB out of the game when he throws a pick-6, but I have not seen that happen. I would have more confidence if our Head Coach would send out the back-up kicker after our 1st stringer fouls up so many FGs.
Columbus Dawg
June 13th, 2012
12:47 pm
What the heck is a gbal? Average receivers? What an idiot.
AltamahaDawg
June 13th, 2012
12:47 pm
Yea, the second best options are always the best way to go.
old dog
June 13th, 2012
12:48 pm
Somebody wanted to know why if the o-line was so bad, how do we keep sending some to the pros? Yeah, we have a few good individual talents occasionally, but as a unit (and anyone who played the game knows this) we still are light years behind LSU and ‘Bama….period! We will have a great individual lineman sometimes, but top to bottom we lag. Boise State, LSU and Michigan State handed our butts to us up front….they DOMINATED our line! We recruit well EXCEPT for the o- line, which for you novices out there happens to be where the game is won. I think we will improve, but others will have to step up until our line gets a little experience AND our coaches recruit 1st class talent on the o-line like we have been able to do everywhere else! I ain’t totally writing them off, but the good teams (once again) will expose our weaknesses….o-line being the big ‘un!
old dog
June 13th, 2012
12:53 pm
Someone asked about the o-line….this will again be our weakness! Yeah, we send a few to the pros but top to bottom, we lag behind, as LSU, Boise State and Michigan State showed us. We recruit everywhere else wonderfully, but the game is won up front. Nothing offensively will improve (against the better teams) until we get better up front. Its coming, hopefully, but it ain’t here yet!
fishook dawg
June 13th, 2012
12:53 pm
CMR decided 2 years ago to put all his eggs in one basket with Murray and it seems to me that reguardless of how Murray plays, he will always remain his guy. If Murray doesn’t follow his past history and doen’t screw things up, CMR will be fine. If Murray turns the ball over like he has the last 2 years, CMR will be feeling the heat again.
old dog
June 13th, 2012
12:54 pm
Enter your comments here
old dog
June 13th, 2012
12:55 pm
My previous posts have been moderated or left off; I love the Dawgs but I reckon’ I was a little tough on the o-line….
Tide Rising
June 13th, 2012
12:56 pm
No, not this year, but we do have three since 1996 and UGA has . . .- SSIgator
I always gotta tune in to see just how SSIgator is going to rag the dawg fans. Its always too funny. The gators may be in a rebuilding year but SSI is right- 3 ncs since 1996, 19 of the last 22 vs the dawgs, and the winningest record in the nation since 1990 pretty much gives him bragging rights over any dawg fan.
old dog
June 13th, 2012
1:06 pm
(What did I say wrong, Mr. Bill?)
Pilfer Dawg
June 13th, 2012
1:07 pm
SSIgator and now Tide Rising- Tuning in to a UGA blog, really guys a UGA blog? Unless you are fans of the dawgs you have no business here. That is unless you are just as obsessive over the Dawgs as the fans of the Dawgs are. Either way both of you are a little creepy
Pilfer Dawg
June 13th, 2012
1:09 pm
Classy fellas classy
GTBob
June 13th, 2012
1:16 pm
What the heck is a gbal? Average receivers? What an idiot.
He is right. How would you describe UGA’s receivers?
7576DAWG
June 13th, 2012
1:20 pm
Alabama won the national Championship last year because McCarron didn’t panic and start forcing things which would have resulted in turnovers. The only thing I want Murray to do this year is to not panic under pressure. When you lose a game because of turnovers and everybody in the stadium knows that you out played the opponent but just didn’t out score them it show very poor leadership. McCarron want win any prizes for last years performance but he will be remembered as a great leader.
gbal
June 13th, 2012
1:27 pm
Enter your comments here
Erk
June 13th, 2012
1:27 pm
SSI Gator, wasted talent at UGA? Maybe so but look at all the talent from the state of Florida and UF didn’t even win the SEC until the 90’s. Wow, talk about wasted talent.
GT Bob, are you talking? Come back when you win at least 2 of the next 10 against UGA.
gbal
June 13th, 2012
1:36 pm
Just trying to be a realist here – Yea I think we have average receivers especially now that we are moving our best to DB….my point it that i feel we are being over hyped by the media… just too many holes to fill to be predicted as going undefeated… I sure hope we do! ….. An OL…. several pieces written that we are counting on Theus comming in as a freshman and manning a tackle spot… Not saying he is not good, but if you counting on a freshman to anchor an OL in the SEC????? Hope theyre right but I think were getting too much credit.
gbal
June 13th, 2012
1:40 pm
OK I will concede to Good receivers … which is average in the SEC. No absolute clear standout out superstar at this point… no AJ or M Mass that is proven yet
gbal
June 13th, 2012
1:42 pm
OK Good receivers then which is average in the SEC… No superstar threat.
AltamahaDawg
June 13th, 2012
1:45 pm
Oh, how we wish he would bring those bragging rights. We would expect that. We rag ourselves about those things.
It’s that immature, pointless attempts at cornball humor and the mindnumbing redundancy that we have grown so tired of (but appearantly it impresses you).
7576DAWG
June 13th, 2012
1:48 pm
How many games will Georgia lose this year? We should be able to win at least 9 games for sure because we have a better team than our opponents. The three that should be the toughest are Missouri, South Carolina and Florida . If we do not turn the ball over and any of the three beat us because they are just better and everybody knows it at the end of the game , I for one can live with that. I don’t like losing but if another team was just better I will give them the credit they deserve. What I can’t live with is to beat the he@@ out of a team like we did against South Carolina last year and lose the game because of turnovers. I hope everybody knows if we hadn’t completed two fourth down plays last year against Florida we probably lose that game. It shouldn’t have been that close, we were a much better team than Florida last year and was very lucky to have won the game.
Murray has all the potential in the world to be a great Quarterback but if he doesn’t show better leadership I hope CMR will give another Quarterback a chance. Every time Murray is questioned by a reporter he gives a great answer as to what needs to happen but it seems he is talking about the rest of the team and not himself. I really don’t think he realizes that Georgia had three glaring problems last year . First, is poor special teams play. Second, no running game and the most important was lack of leadership at Quarterback. Murray wouldn’t be the first Quarterback that had all the intangibles to being one of the great’s in college history but just couldn’t play under pressure. He should be given a short leash this year. Missouri will tell us a lot , I hope Murray shows that he has become the leader we all hoped he would become.
AltamahaDawg
June 13th, 2012
1:53 pm
Of cource a HC feels the heat when his QB screws up. Or his RB, or his 3rd string long snapper. Obviously. But what is the deal with this ongoing pretense that Murray is in there as a matter of personal choice over better options?
PT
June 13th, 2012
1:57 pm
Anything less than a SEC Championship will be unacceptable, after that who knows!
AltamahaDawg
June 13th, 2012
1:57 pm
A “chance”? Do you really want to pin our hope of beating the better teams on a “chance” that a back up QB can outplay the 3rd year starter?(when he has shown no sign that he can) My guess is that is not a chance you would take if you were in charge of that call. You give chances when its appropriate, the same time every player on the team has a chance to win the position.
gbal
June 13th, 2012
2:00 pm
I do agree with 7576. I think AM can be good, but he can also stink it up pretty good. I don think there is any pretense that UGA has better, but until we put another on the field under game pressure, we dont know. I think the suggestion is just give another a shot if Am goes in a funk.
Example Miss St last year.
gbal
June 13th, 2012
2:04 pm
Am had 3 int’s, 1 pic 6, 1 fumble which allowed the game to stay close.. D was dominating Miss St. Still a game at the half… Perfect time for HM to come in and work the second half….Didnt try it.
old dog
June 13th, 2012
2:04 pm
AMurray and the running game go back to the fact that the o-line needs to pick it up a notch…….running for your life and no run blocking causes problems!
AltamahaDawg
June 13th, 2012
2:06 pm
The other side of that equation is that if your starter IS the best option, why wouldn’t you want HIM out there working through his problems, and getting better?
gbal
June 13th, 2012
2:07 pm
many good coaches (SS) yank a QB and give another a shot in that MS game.