G-Day: Not much of a game, but there’s still a good team here
Athens — If you saw the game, be it live from Sanford Stadium or via the high-def glory of ESPN, you’re wondering how in the world Georgia is going to beat Vandy. And here, being the committed contrarian, is where I say: Relax. Georgia is going to be fine.
It’s not going to win the national championship in 2009, but it’s not going to collapse under the cannonade of verbiage emanating from little Lane Kiffin. This is a very good program that will continue to be a very good program. (And, as measures go, spring games offer zilch. Remember how awful Georgia Tech looked 12 months ago? Remember that same Tech winning between these same hedges on Nov. 29, 2008?)
Yes, Matthew Stafford is gone, and no, there’s no more Knowshon Moreno, but Georgia under Mark Richt has suffered other losses — David Greene and David Pollack and Thomas Davis and Brian VanGorder in the span of one offseason — and chugged ever onward. You know all those recruits about whom folks get so excited? They’ll keep the Bulldogs on track.
More important, Georgia learned last season that skill alone guarantees nothing. “It doesn’t matter how talented you are,” said Rennie Curran, the gifted linebacker. “We’ve definitely got talent, but it’s going to be the intangibles, the leadership, the discipline and the technique that makes this a team.”
That didn’t happen in 2008, when a multitude of penalties and three protracted defensive lapses undid the team voted No. 1 in August. Said A.J. Green, the splendiferous receiver: “We’ll be real good if we play as a team, and we’re pushing each other harder.”
Sorry, there are no polls available at the moment.Was such urgency not in evidence a year ago? Green again: “Yeah, just a little bit, probably. We maybe believed the hype. But [not being ranked No. 1] is a better place to start — it gives you something to work for.”
Nothing happened Saturday to make Bulldog Nation stand and shout, “Hurrah!” Big deal. When you’re playing yourself, there really can’t be a winner.
Said Joe Cox, the new No. 1 quarterback: “If the offense goes up and down the field, people would be talking about how bad the defense did. It’s a grind going against each other every day in practice, and this was just the last day of it. We just did it in front of a bunch of people.”
The offense didn’t go up and down the field. There were 18 first downs made and 329 yards gained, and the game’s only touchdown came on the final snap. Cox and Logan Gray, the second-stringer, looked OK. (The early enrollee Aaron Murray looked quite good.) Lots of passes were dropped. And the great Green caught a flea-flicker from Cox on the game’s first play and then nothing else.
Again, it’s April. Were this September, the Bulldogs would have been more assiduous in the attempt to feed their best player. But September is five months off.
Is this team apt to win the SEC East? Not with Tebow and the reigning BCS titlists still sitting there, no. But these Bulldogs will build the bridge to the post-Tebow years, and it will be a sturdy structure. They’ll go 9-3 and position themselves for 2010 and beyond.
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184 comments Add your comment
marseilles mutt
April 12th, 2009
3:11 pm
Enjoyed the week-end in Athens and the gme as well. Think over all Uga will be much improved in the key areas of defense and leadership. I am in total accord with MB’s views.
Was great seeing many of the old letterman and team mates. Thomas Wolfe was wrong; you can go home again..if the time is named Athens. Now if I can get home safely driving, I’ll be fine.Like some other people I know, not named Erica Jong, I also still have a fear of flying.
Ted Striker
April 12th, 2009
3:55 pm
Some folks seem to be wearing sackcloth and ashes over a few dropped passes. Let’s enjoy a bit of perspective. 2008 G-Day passing output from Cox, Gray and Matthew Stafford: 158 yards. This year? 258 yards — 21 catches by 11 different guys. Scholarship players with drops (3 players: a WR, a TE, a RB) overcame early jitters to catch 9 balls. Not a perfect day but fairly redeeming. As for the other drops? They came from non-scholarship players on the scout team.
p.s. I’ve even seen a few complaints that coaches didn’t try to get the ball to Green. Do you really think the coaches were trying to see if AJ is capable of catching a ball?
Kyle
April 12th, 2009
4:57 pm
I feel 10 wins is realistic. I’m assuming we won’t repeat the same rash of season-ending injuries. The schedule is favorable. I am the eternal optimist, but seasons like the one in front of us often end up being surprisingly special. Go Dawgs!
ReptilesRule
April 12th, 2009
5:28 pm
I think my name says it all. Look, I don’t give a —- about the “G-Day” game, just do your part this year and smack Tennessee.
gatorhater
April 12th, 2009
7:16 pm
The gators r the team to beat no doubt, but CMR record against defending national champions is 3-0.
ReptilesRule
April 12th, 2009
8:26 pm
About to be 3-1.
AltamahaDawg
April 12th, 2009
8:54 pm
Ted, I was laughing about the same thing. That’s just looking for something to complain about? Throwing to anyone BUT AJ was the idea.
This was 2nd string against the 3rd string. Sprinkle in some regulars, and some high school kids.
hop
April 12th, 2009
10:16 pm
i went to the game and had the following views.
the offense needs much work especially with the receivers who dropped at least six passes and fumbled twice.
the qb’s looked very good cox is a leader and you could see that clearly as the other players really responded to him.
logan gray will give us a different look with his speed and running ability, murray will be e a great qb someday with treminous talent, and just has a feel for the game.
defense, mark it down now, will be huge next year with the houston kid will be awesome pass rusher from the defensive end position.
defensive tackles will be a strenth who will give a huge push on the inside. linbackers could be the strength of the defensive with much speed to run from sideline to sideline.
corners will be okay,but the safeties look very good.
overall, we will be a better team this year and who knows might be a contender for the sec.
Mark Bradley
April 12th, 2009
10:28 pm
You know what I wish? I wish I’d seen A.J. Green play basketball. He told me he “was pretty good,” and I believe him. Imagine him on the offensive glass, as we say around the ol’ hardwood.
GaCracker
April 12th, 2009
10:32 pm
All of the QB’s but the Watkinsville guy looked decent. Cox was accurate and the Florida kid showed great potential. Hard to evaluate special teams and the kicking game with no pressure though. We need better kick offs and more consistency on field goals. Also need to force more turnovers and have more sacks than last year. I don’t think Willie will blitz in real games like he did yesterday – and ALWAYS on 2nd and long, never third and long – too predictable.
Ted Striker
April 12th, 2009
10:35 pm
I mentioned a week or two (or maybe even 3 weeks) ago that ‘criticism’ of Matt Stafford by Mike Singletary was severely misunderstood & definitely overblown. If you hear the entire interview, you’ll likely come to the same conclusion. Further proof that the 49′ers — and Singletary — still have interest in Stafford:
http://blogs.nfl.com/2009/04/12/smoothing-things-over-stafford-to-visit-49ers/
Robert Fitzhugh Wilson
April 12th, 2009
10:59 pm
Paul Johnson is undefeated against the University of Georgia in the series Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate. He did it with a more depleted Ofensive Line, with less experience than UGA’s talent-filled OL that endured through a couple scholarship injuries replacing them with another Rivals Four Star OL – Rated higher than Tech’s OL, Tech played walk ons, sophomores, and freshmen. 16 of 22 starters Freshman and Sophomores started for Georgia Tech on November 29th, 2008. Tech racked up 409 yards on the ground in the game. Roddy Jones, a freshman, had 214 yards on 13 carries individually. Jonathan Dwyer complemented that performance with 2 touchdowns by himself. Three plays hurt the University of Georgia: Stafford throwing a terrible interception to Morgan Burnett, which was returned by Burnett (The younger brother to Cap) for six points. UGA gave up only two third downs to GT: The first was with eight minutes left in the 4th quarter: a 60 plus yard scamper by Roddy Jones dotting the visitor sideline. The second came on the ensuing third down attempt, The North Georgia native took a Nesbitt pitch, dotting the sideline once again – this time the University of Georgia Alumni sideline, for 54 yards to captone a 45-42 defeating of the Preseason National Champion on their own turf with 16 off 22 freshman sophomores and walk ons contributing often, a more depleted OL than UGA, a first year head coach running new systems on both sides of the ball, and a preseason ranking of 70+.
Paul Johnson will have Tech ready in November 2009. If anything, 45-42 has marked the transition of the state Champion to national prominence.
Side Note: I attended the G-Day game in Athens. The Quarterbacks looked inept, the OL looked lazy, and the team gave more efort. Yall need more discipline and clearly two new coordinators. Mark Bradley did a terrible job calming the dogs. Joe Cox was hilarious. Carry on, RFW
Robert Fitzhugh Wilson
April 12th, 2009
11:02 pm
Clearly one mistake – Offensive is spelled offensive, not ofensive. LOL
Mark Bradley
April 12th, 2009
11:09 pm
Thanks, Ted. I appreciate your item so much I’ve stolen it for tomorrow’s Buzz.
BobDog
April 12th, 2009
11:09 pm
Logan Gray will compete for the starting job. He looked really good. No great surprise.
All you people wanting to start Aaron Murray, why sacrifice a year when we have two very solid quarterbacks who have been in the program. When Richt was at FSU, he always had an experienced QB and a hotshot recruit preparing to step in. Charlie Ward didn’t start until his junior year. He rarely had a frosh or soph QB starting.
Ted Striker
April 12th, 2009
11:22 pm
Mark — Feel free to borrow/steal anytime. I subscribe to the C.A.S.E. method of research (Copy And Steal Everything).
Robert Fitzhugh Wilson
April 12th, 2009
11:32 pm
Effort is spelled effort, as well. Thanks for your time, RFW
The Big Bug
April 13th, 2009
12:55 am
Ted Striker, You the man! You have done doggies everywhere proud. You have spelled definitely correctly for the 1st time in at least 1 year by any fan of any team. I know because my wife & I have had many chuckles about this (she says two years). We have seen it spelled every way imaginable.
A tip of the hat to you. It just goes to show that even a blind hog can find an acorn etc.
chemdawg
April 13th, 2009
1:16 am
No, robert, thank you for wasting your time.
Ted Striker
April 13th, 2009
1:20 am
Big Bug — I don’t normally spel to goode but occashunally I lucks up and gits r done despites my blind hoggyness.
» SEC links: Plenty of questions still face Georgia John Clay’s Sidelines
April 13th, 2009
7:25 am
[...] Mark Bradley of the AJC writes that there’s still a pretty good team in Georgia. [...]
DawgByte
April 13th, 2009
8:12 am
I was at the G-Day game and overall I have to say I was disappointed in the EFFORT of the team. I and many others in the stands did not see that much needed INTENSITY Richt was talking about all Spring. During the time-outs I saw guys out on the field dancing for crying out loud. Does anyone think Saban allows his players to pretend they’re *Dancing with the Stars* while they’re on the field? I think not! The WR’s were dismal at best and were deserving of stadium step runs after the game. I saw a former 5 Star Army Allstar get whipped two plays in a row at offensive tackle – no wonder we haven’t heard his name mentioned during Spring practice reports.
There was some bright spots including the play of Logan Gray. Gray showed good mobility, arm strength and accuracy. It’s going to be hard for Bobo to keep him off the field. I was also impressed with Murray. Aaron showed he was in command of the huddle and LoS. He looked great rolling to his left and tossing a 30 yard pass across his body. Very quick release and can seem to make any throw required on the field. Geno Atkins looked rock solid, as did Justin Houstin. It was good to see Marcus Washington play well. Lastly it was nice to see Reshad Jones actually hit someone for a change.
Make no mistake – this is an interim year for the Dawgs as they have no real shot to contend for the Eastern crown. It will be a mircale if they can match last year’s record. I could easily see this team losing 3 games during the regular season. However, the program looks bright for the future, because Murray is the real deal.
Mark Bradley
April 13th, 2009
8:26 am
No offense, DawgByte, but it was the final spring practice, not the first real game of the 2009 season.
Georgia News - 4/13/09 | MrSEC.com
April 13th, 2009
8:33 am
[...] the final minutes of Saturday’s scrimmage.Mark Bradley of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution doesn’t believe Dawg fans should be panicking over Saturday’s lackluster G-Day game.(I agree completely. It’s a spring game. [...]
SEC links: Plenty of questions still face Georgia | MrSEC.com
April 13th, 2009
9:20 am
[...] Mark Bradley of the AJC writes that there’s still a pretty good team in Georgia. [...]
DawgByte
April 13th, 2009
12:23 pm
No offense Mark, but the fact it was the last practice of Spring is absolutely irrelevant. It’s irrelevant because our head coach made intensity, discipline and fundamentals a cornerstone of his off-season focus. The G-Day game should have been the culmination of that intensity and discipline. What we should have seen was guys flying all over the field, making solid tackles and catching the ball. What we got was 3/4 speed, tentativeness (see Aaron White replays for further details) and guys that simply did not show up (see A.J. Harmon, Kade Weston and Dontavious Jackson). That is not going to get it done against teams like Florida. Saying this is only a ‘practice’ is absurd for the following reasons:
A.) ESPN took the time to cover it.
B.) It sends the wrong message to existing players, recruits and other programs in the SEC.
C.) It disrespects the fans.
D.) It makes Richt’s words sound meaningless.
I’m not one of these “The Sky Is Falling” fans, but the first time in many years I walked away from a G-Day game disappointed in what I saw on the field. Does that mean all is lost? No! What it means is this team has a lot of work to do to be anywhere close to what they were last year. And last year; according to media pundits, was a disappointment. I stand by my prediction that this team loses a minimum of three games.
Robert Fitzhugh Lee
April 13th, 2009
1:17 pm
Of is supposed to be spelled of instead of off in my post as well…
DawgByte – Couldn’t agree more.
DawginLex
April 13th, 2009
1:59 pm
Hey bullDawg,
Why don’t you go get your own blog? Who do you want to coach this team, Ray goff or jim donnan? 80+ wins in 8 years and richt is now an idiot just because you say so?
I trust the man. Maybe you don’t. I would trust him with my son if I had one good enough to play college football at UGA. The type of person he is makes me proud he is at UGA. Maybe you don’t care about stuff like that. I do.
If you don’t want to support the team, then leave and take your sorry @@@### to Atlanta. The nerd herd is having another frigging robot roll call. Their coach turned and pointed to the stands after the fluke win in Athens last year. Our coach thanks God win or lose. I’ll take that any day over obnoxious CPJ.
When UGA wins 9 or 10 games or more this year, don’t come crawling back saying I told you so.
Robert Fitzhugh Lee
April 13th, 2009
3:26 pm
UGA’s program has 7-5 written all over it.
Tech’s program, on the other hand, has national prominence written all over it because of one man: Coach Paul Johnson.
DawgByte
April 13th, 2009
3:45 pm
Robert Fitzpuh Lee -
UGA going “7-5″ tells me you have no analytical skills. Stating Tech’s program has national prominence written all over it is equally absurd. No program in Div. 1 will consistently acheive national prominence running the option. The days of Barry Switzer’s OU offense are long, long gone. The best Tech can hope for is a once in a blue moon victory over UGA. Enjoy the spoils, because one of the three losses I predict UGA will suffer in ‘09 will not come from Tech.
Robert Fitzhugh Lee-Wilson
April 13th, 2009
3:46 pm
Oh…..and Robert is actually spelled “IMAFATSMELLYVIRGIN” and Fitzhugh is actually spelled “WHOHASNEVERBEENLAID” and Lee-Wilson is actually spelled “ANDSTILLLIVESINMYMOMSBASEMENT”. Go away nerd….you’re an embarrassment to the logical tech fans out there. Stick to D&D and let the big boys talk football.
Robert Fitzhugh Lee
April 13th, 2009
6:29 pm
LOL. I’ve seen your program with my own eyes. You are a joke. 409 yards is not a joke – It is very real. Get rid of your denial – 13 carries for 214 yards is very real.
Tech sucks
April 13th, 2009
7:59 pm
Logan Gray looked great. Not ok.
No way Georgia can lose four games? Sure about that? | Mark Bradley
August 24th, 2009
7:08 pm
[...] high esteem, and it wouldn’t shock me if he got more from this team. (After the G-Day game I wrote that Georgia would go 9-3, which I rethought after looking harder at the schedule.) I don’t believe the 2009 Bulldogs [...]