No way Georgia can lose four games? Sure about that?
I understand the process. I get paid to give an opinion, and you’re welcome — encouraged, even — to respond. Usually you tend to agree if I say something nice about a team you like and disagree if I don’t. I grasp that part. But here’s something I don’t get:
The widespread assertion that there’s no way — no way! — Georgia can lose four regular-season games this fall.
I picked Georgia to lose four games. I didn’t do it for shock value. I did it because I looked at the composition of the 2009 Bulldogs and their schedule. You might view well the team more highly, and that’s your prerogative. But to say I’m absolutely crazy — and one or two of you did — for daring to suggest as much made me think, “Am I really so nuts?”
So I thought some more, and here’s what I decided: Not nuts, at least not on this topic.
The day after writing my little forecast, I picked up the Sporting News college yearbook at Borders. I noted that the magazine — the best of its kind, in my longstanding estimation — had Georgia ranked 15th in the nation. (I think that’s a tad high, but not unreasonable.) And then I noticed this:
Florida is ranked No. 1; LSU is ranked No. 8; Oklahoma State is ranked No. 10; Georgia Tech is ranked No. 11. That makes four teams on Georgia’s schedule rated ahead of Georgia and, just as an aside, those were the four games I picked the Bulldogs to lose. Silly me!
Could Georgia win one or two of those? Sure it could. It could also lose all four. I’d also note this is the first time since 2006 Georgia has entered a season with a new quarterback, and how many regular-season games did those Bulldogs lose? Why, four. (Vanderbilt and Kentucky included.)
Do I think Joe Cox is better than Joe Tereshinski III? Yes, I do. But I also think it’s a tough task for a quarterback to make his first start in almost three years on the road against a Top 10 opponent. (FYI, this is only the second time since 1992 the Bulldogs have opened anywhere but Sanford Stadium.)
Loading ...I hold Mark Richt in 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 will be an embarrassment — indeed, I expect them to play harder than the 2008 team did — and in 2010 Georgia should be outstanding.
But this year I look at the Bulldogs and think, “Good but not great. Good but maybe overscheduled. Good enough to win eight.” And lose four. I could well be wrong. (I often am, as you know.) But I don’t think I’m insane.
Then again, if you are crazy, aren’t you usually the last to know?
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197 comments Add your comment
The Dust
June 2nd, 2009
3:04 pm
The pups in Athens will be lucky to win 6 games. GOOOO JACKETS!!!
Bernie
June 2nd, 2009
3:30 pm
When “the dust” settles….he’ll realize his algorithms are off. Probably one of those geeks driving around with a “Year One” window decal….
Dawgs win three of those four, but lose one more.
Gotta go finalize travel plans to Stillwater…while “the dust” decides which four game package to buy at historic Grant Field. It comes with free hot dogs! Woohoo!
Capt Caveman
June 2nd, 2009
3:42 pm
I saw where Foxsports has a top 10 list of teams that wont win the BCS and Georgia was ranked number 2 on the list due to it’s schedule. Oklahoma was the only team ranked higher. (If indeed it was done in order) I want my Dawgs to win but cold hard facts say that a 9-3 record would be a good season for them at this point.
They could surprise the nation and win the division with a shot at the SEC and BCS if they play lights out. And you never know, don’t they usually beat Florida in the years when they aren’t supposed to have a chance??
Well, anyway, here’s to me DAWGS !!
Go Georgia !!!!!!!
Rambling Wreck
June 2nd, 2009
3:42 pm
Not only CAN UGA lose four games. They WILL lose five. I bet they lose two out of the first three, regroup, get their annual spanking in Jacksonville and last but not least, surrender 500 yards rushing and lose 45-22 to Tech! Can anyone say Music City?
Rabnnod
June 2nd, 2009
3:50 pm
GA is going to be lucky to even be in 3/4 games. They simply out scored people last year while giving up an average of 25.6 points per game. With the departure of the starting QB/RB do you really think they can repeat that performance? Is their D that much better? No and No. They lose 4 easy. If not more. First year starting for your QB + questionable D = recipe for disaster. They should spend more time worrying about next years in state recruits that are slipping away.
1eyedJack
June 2nd, 2009
3:52 pm
I’m a ramblin’ wreck from Georgia Tech, and a helluva yellow queer.
Ted Striker
June 2nd, 2009
3:56 pm
I don’t know how many games UGA will win or lose but I hereby pledge to tailgate with maximum intensity — regardless of final score.
All Dawgs Are Butt Lickers
June 2nd, 2009
3:59 pm
I’m a butt licker! Woof! Woof! Woof! Go Dawgs!
CKDawg65
June 2nd, 2009
4:02 pm
If history is a precedent, those calling for the 5, 6, and 7 losses for UGA may better break out their history books and put away the paraphernalia. Last time UGA lost more than 4 games in a season? 1996…with Jim Donnan coaching a cast of Ray Goff leftovers. As for 4 losses? Yes I think that is a possibility, but then again so is 1 or 2. 10-3 is the probability…and those in gold better enjoy the first 11 months of 2009, because order WILL be restored at Historic Grant bandbox on Thanksgiving weekend. You better worry about your defense that gave up 80 points in the last two games (with a bunch of so-called NFL caliber studs) before focusing on our issues.
Saint Simons
June 2nd, 2009
4:04 pm
45-42!!!!!!!! hahhahhahahahahahahahaha
Ben
June 2nd, 2009
4:04 pm
Seriously, Tech fans, shut the hell up. You guys have won exactly 1 game in 8 friggin years against us. Win your conference just one time for a change, hell, just be relevant for once. You can hate us all you want and make all the outlandish, BS predictions your little hearts desire but in the end you are still inferior. And we’ll prove that once again by beating the piss out of your urine stained uniforms in that toilet you call a stadium in 2009. Cheers bugs, enjoy your victory, savor it.
Captain
June 2nd, 2009
4:06 pm
It is simply amazing what crawls out from under rocks following a win by GT over Georgia. The GT supporters, who never attend games unless of course there are only 22,000 of you, win one game in 7 years you pull the old hats and shirts out of storage, put the stickers on the car, declare yourselves a factor in the world of big time football, and start running your mouths. Christmas came early for you geeks in 2008, Sat following Thanksgiving. The game was more of a gift than an earned win, nonetheless it was a win. The gift we gave you was quickly forgotten by that Chick fil a Bowl vs LSU when the REAL GT re-surfaced. Keep it up boys, I understand, you only get to do this 3 or 4 times every 25 yrs, about as often as you build snowmen in January in Atlanta.
d
June 2nd, 2009
4:12 pm
Its all about winning the battle in the trenches, which we will do better than in ‘08
RxDawg
June 2nd, 2009
4:13 pm
Of course it’s possible. But history, and thats Mark Richt history, says no way Jose’.
Plus, we should have one heck of a line. Whats else can you ask for?
wawel78
June 2nd, 2009
4:15 pm
I’m a UGA fan. I don’t think 4 losses is unreasonable. I’m hoping it won’t happen especially since Richt has done such a good job but it wouldn’t surprise me. My biased thought is this team will be better than next year because of expectation and finish 10-2 or 9-3 but 4 or 5 losses could very well prove to be a more accurate number. Sorry guys, you can now get back to funny gay comments.
Jeff
June 2nd, 2009
4:18 pm
No way Tech is a top 15 team. UGA can easily lose 4 next year. In fact, in the SEC ANY team could easily lose 4 in a year. Its going to come down to 3 things:
1. Joe Cox
2. Pass rush
3. Running back production
If we get these 3 things to perform well, we could very well only lose 1 game. If not, we will definetly lose at least 4. We will see. OK ST is not a guaranteed loss. Dawgs will be up and healthy. Its going to be fun though.
38-3 HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
RxDawg
June 2nd, 2009
4:18 pm
The Dust said “The pups in Athens will be lucky to win 6 games. GOOOO JACKETS!!!”
Haha, so you agree we will be undefeated in our home games this year. It’s good to see your coming to your senses.
voIman
June 2nd, 2009
4:24 pm
I have condos for sale if anyone is interested.
Mark Bradley
June 2nd, 2009
4:27 pm
OK, Volman, I confess. I laughed.
PMC
June 2nd, 2009
4:32 pm
Oklahoma State is overrated. We’ve seen this game before Mark.. If Georgia is healthy Georgia is a better team…they just are. Much of any season depends on health preseason rankings are largely based on last year and with LSU I’d imaging getting rid of that guy they had under center last season. Florida is the only team on the schedule I don’t think Georgia has more than a good chance to beat.
They smashed LSU last year with a wounded team… we should worry why? Georgia Tech was beaten 7 years in a row and they won by 3 pts last year and they lost 3 tremendous players on thier defensive front…. again… the worry because of what?
Florida is the only probable L on that schedule if they are healthy and play to their talent level. Period.
They are more talented than every other team you are projecting as a loss except LSU.
PMC
June 2nd, 2009
4:33 pm
I think Georgia Tech could win the ACC this year. I’m still not concerned if I’m a Georgia fan… I’d expect to win that every year.
PMC
June 2nd, 2009
4:36 pm
How many times under Mark Richt have they lost 4 games?
Mark Bradley
June 2nd, 2009
4:38 pm
They lost four games in 2001 counting the Music City Bowl to Boston College, and they lost four regular-season games in 2006.
give me a break
June 2nd, 2009
4:42 pm
I like being in more of an under dog role than a high expectations position like last year. We seem to do better.
I know that expectations are high every year but we seem to do best when least expected.
With all of our losses to graduation and early exits we still do have much talent left on the roster.
Granted many have to step up or mature but still it could be an interesting year. I like how one commentor put it. We have all those high school all american rbs but maybe not one start college one. Hopefully by committee works. Another point is just getting the injured players back is like another recruiting bonanza. Go Dawgs!
TybeeDawg
June 2nd, 2009
4:43 pm
The triple option will not be nearly as effective the second time around the ACC and against UGA.
wawel78
June 2nd, 2009
4:43 pm
I will say that I expect the loss of Stafford and Moreno to help them because they won’t be a distraction and they can focus on being a team.
Mark Bradley
June 2nd, 2009
4:45 pm
I kind of agree about the team-building part, Wawel. But clearly the Bulldogs won’t be as talented without those two. How could they?
RAMBLE ON!!!
June 2nd, 2009
4:49 pm
Mark, most of the UGA fans are idiots. You have lived here long enough to know that.
They will have 4 loses by the time GT beats them down again.
That’s why they pay 1 million dollars to the cupcakes they schedule every year. Got to get those easy wins. They thought they were getting another cupcake with OSU when they scheduled them.
wawel78
June 2nd, 2009
4:50 pm
Right on, Ramble On. Maybe one day Gardner Webb will answer the call for a date with the lowly bulldawgs.
Chop Suey
June 2nd, 2009
4:50 pm
The title of this blog, “No way Georgia can lose four games? Sure about that?” is reminiscent of a favorite Chop Chick blog from way back in April . . . but still posted.
Chop Chick – A Fan’s View of the Atlanta Braves Can one disastrous inning overshadow two great games?
1:04 pm April 9, 2009, by Chop Chick
Throw some color on the page and maybe it will pass. Did Chop Chick not survive the cuts? Did her editor get the axe, too? Do you clowns ever look at how dated the pages have become? The answer is a new Chop Suey blog. I will replace Chop Chick and will post relevant blogs daily. If I were posting today the topic would be, “will the Braves still be in it when the AJC folds?” Oh, the print edition comes folded, right? Never mind.
Mac
June 2nd, 2009
4:52 pm
Joe Cox’s Bulldogs could be like John Lastinger’s. That’s what I’m going to hope for anyway.
CHOKE...THE DRINK OF THE UGA DAWGS
June 2nd, 2009
4:54 pm
It’s a known fact that UGA Mutts always choke!
Mac
June 2nd, 2009
4:54 pm
There are a lot of Chinese dishes I like, but I hate chop suey.
Chop Suey
June 2nd, 2009
4:58 pm
Mark, I mostly post with Jeff but I thought I’d pay you a visit. I am looking to replace Chop Chick. It will be less costly to use me (only have to change Chick to Suey) than to hire a real journalist. Do you think Kovach might take over for Chop Chick? I heard he’s back in town. If not, I stand ready. Julia is on board but I want approval from my peers – and that would be you and Jeff. We can be the three musketeers. Bradley, Schultz, and Suey. Might even open a law office. If things go like I expect it will soon be Suey and (take your pick). Have a nice day.
Sanford Drive
June 2nd, 2009
5:10 pm
The Dawgs could absolutely lose 4 games next year. I have to admit, I’ll be happy with only 3 losses this year. I think OK State and UF will beat us, and we will also lose to another SEC team. Of course, we could lose to Tech as well, though for some reason, we tend to play better on the road.
Cap
June 2nd, 2009
5:12 pm
I think the team will play harder this year than last but Willie Martinez will find a way to lose at least two games on his own. Georgia gives up 45 to Tech who then gets shut down by LSU in the bowl game and what happens? Let’s see, Willie keeps his job and LSU says goodbye to their entire defensive staff. Until he is gone, UGA will be a second tier team in the ultra competitive SEC. Four losses is certainly not out of the question.
Tech75
June 2nd, 2009
5:23 pm
Mark, you got it right. Can’t refute the logic.
And heaven help them if Cox or Green get injured.
I would also remind all those who think that seeing the GT offense last year will help its opponents this year – last year we were just learning it, we were slow and uncertain in executing it, and basically ran only a few plays – and it still was highly successful.
This year, it will be executed faster and more crisply, with much better A-back blocking, and CPJ will be able to open up the playbook a little more.
How long did he run that offense at Ga Southern? How many people stopped it, regardless of how many times they saw it, saw films of it, etc.?
Do your homework. This is a great offense, and by the time you hit Atlanta you won’t be sleeping at night….you will be quivering Chihuahuas…then what will your excuse be when we run up 600 yds in offense on you? Your only hope is that we have poor ball security, or that you score a touchdown every possession….because we just might!
But, that’s why they play the games, right? I can’t wait!
I presume that if you’ve already lost 3 or 4 games by that time you will already have fired Martinez…
Jeff
June 2nd, 2009
5:30 pm
How many teams did CPJ play that played the same defenses that GT has to play every year? 38-3! Thats what could happen any game GT steps on the field with that offense. 7-8 wins a year just like every other Tech team. Along with a loss to UGA.
Tech75
June 2nd, 2009
5:51 pm
Jeff, you don’t get it. At all.
CPJ had good but not superior talent at Ga Southern and beat all types of defenses with equivalent talent. Beat them like a drum. At Navy, he beat ND. With INFERIOR talent.
With well-executed blocking technique, even average talent can get superior athleticism on the ground, and that’s why this offense works.
GT has enough equivalent talent. You saw it last year. You’ll see it again this year. No one stopped the offense unless the offense stopped itself through bad execution, penalties, or poor ball security.
Da King
June 2nd, 2009
5:52 pm
We schedule cupcakes. Who da hell is Jacksonville State look at ur own schedule before criticizing ours. And Georgia will win 9 games at least and maybe 10 if we’re not bitten by the injury bug. With Trinton Sturdivant coming back we will control da line of scrimmage better and watch out for Carlton Thomas and Wayshaun Ealey at the runningbacks. And defense will be way better with Jeff Owens and Marcus Washington coming back.It going to be a normal good season ending with a bug stomping to finish the year off. Go Dawgs !!
Tech75
June 2nd, 2009
5:58 pm
Bug stomping, Duh King?
45-42.
And last year, we weren’t totally comfortable running the offense, still picking it up, still executing it too slowly.
It’ll be worse this year now that 90% of your last year’s offense is in the NFL…
Then what will you say? “We were hurt…” “The refs stole it…” “The dawg ate my playbook” “It’s Martinez’s fault”
“Waaaa”
Beat the rush! – start making your excuses now.
Sanford Drive
June 2nd, 2009
5:58 pm
Tech75,
Maybe your offense was awesome. Or maybe our defense was terrible. Or perhaps it was a little of both. It can easily be argued either way. I guess we’ll know for sure after a handful of games under CPJ.
Gravy Train
June 2nd, 2009
6:00 pm
Mark,
I don’t think you’re crazy. Most of your projections are logical to some degree. The thing is, and any engineer knows this, there are always unknown and random variables that go into the equation. For example: Does Jeff Owens provide enough force in the middle of the line to free up the ends? If he does than Georgia’s defense will be much better. Second example: Does Joe Cox’s patience result in fewer offensive turnovers? If so, then Georgia will greatly improve time of possession and field position ratios. That last stat increases even more by being able to force touch-backs on kick-offs.
Just curious as to if any of this has been noted by you before making predictions.
Bob
June 2nd, 2009
6:22 pm
Mark: Everybody wants to talk about MS and KM but let’s talk about where things really get done… The offensive line. UGA will have Sturdy back and lots of experience. They will give Cox time to throw and open running lanes for whoever is back there. Similar to Bama last year. And please, Oklahoma State has no defense. The DAWGS will run all over them, book it. And back to the UGA O-line… doesn’t Tech have to replace most of the D-line this year? Tech can run if they don’t have the ball.
Houdawg
June 2nd, 2009
6:25 pm
Could we lose four ? Yep, it could happen ….. or we might win 9 – 10. The whole key starts in Stillwater ….. if we get to 4 – 0 , it could be a great season. If not , all bets are off.
You Tech fans are absolutely pathetic ….. if we could switch SEC & ACC schedules …. you’d only WIN 4 games, MAYBE. With your little ACC sched, we’d win 10(or more) … guaranteed.
DirtyDawg
June 2nd, 2009
6:47 pm
I am genuinely amazed…well maybe not amazed but amused that Bradley would have fallen for the hype of Paul Johnson and climbed aboard the GT bandwagon. True to form, Paul’s offense will become less and less effective as teams decide they have to take the time to practice against it often enough – even in pre-season – in order to employ the discipline and athleticism to stop it. It can be done, and I’m told easily by folks that should know, and as demonstrated by LSU in last year’s Peach Bowl (they don’t pay me any money so I’ll call it what I want).
True, we could lose four, or maybe more, but Tech won’t be one of ‘em. Shoot, by the end of that game next November, the West Stands will be back to saying ‘I told you so about this gimmick offense’…
larryhmunsonthe3rd
June 2nd, 2009
6:51 pm
I thinhk your still crazy and you drink to much
Mac
June 2nd, 2009
6:56 pm
How naive. Did practice help the foes of Alabama, Nebraska or Oklahoma in the days of Bryant, Osborne and Switzer? No. Those were great football coaches who won running the offense they wanted to. Paul Johnson is a dang good coach and he’s going to beat people – a lot of them – running whatever he wants to.
He’s one of those who could take the other coaches players and beat him with them.
TechDan
June 2nd, 2009
7:04 pm
“True to form, Paul’s offense will become less and less effective as teams decide they have to take the time to practice against it often enough – even in pre-season – in order to employ the discipline and athleticism to stop it.”
Congratulations. You have somehow managed to completely disregard all of the historical stats surround Paul Johnson and his preferred offense.
Really. Good job.
Ken
June 2nd, 2009
7:04 pm
This schedule is downright scary! There isn’t a single layup in the first 8 games. I can’t remember ever seeing one through eight being tougher.
Ringleader
June 2nd, 2009
7:30 pm
Yep, I think it all starts with Stillwater, especially for the defense.
I still have not seen any explanation or reasoning that we only receive 5,000 tickets at a hundred bucks each for that game. Where was the AD when this deal was made…….
Dorsey Hill
June 2nd, 2009
7:45 pm
DirtyDawg,
I’m sorry, but I have to disagree with your assessment. The novelty offenses like Tech’s and Florida’s do not necessarily lose effectiveness because they have been seen before by their opponents. The effectiveness of the offense will depend on the quality of players that they have running it. If you have Percy Harvin and Tim Tebow the spread will work forever…against anybody. If you have Chris Todd and a bunch of rejects like Auburn, well, not so much.
The key for Tech isn’t going to be whether or not teams “figure them out” on offense, the key will be whether they can maintain a quality defense. One of the limitations of Tech’s offense is the sheer number of scholarships that must be dedicated to offense because you have three backs on the field at all times and a QB subject to being hit alot. This means that you’d better have 8-10 RB’s and 4-5 QB’s in the program at all times. Some of those scholarships could have gone to DT’s or corner’s etc… In addition, you would expect that because Tech will be unable to replicate a pro-style offense, their defense will be weaker against the pass then otherwise. So Tech’s downfall will not be that they are limited to scoring under 25 points per game, it will because they are giving up 28 or more. Against an ACC schedule, not exactly a bastion of explosive offenses right now, Tech is in a pretty good position to do well in the near future.
Of course, we’ll kick the hell out of ‘em.
2010!!!!!
June 2nd, 2009
7:45 pm
Mark,
Aren’t you starting the our “next year” chant a bit early? You are a genius, we will be Preseason #1 for 2 full seasons!
btw… have you seen Tech’s 2010 roaster? they get everyone back….scary….
WATERDONZI
June 2nd, 2009
7:59 pm
PLEASE ST. SIMONS –DONT OPEN YOUR MOUTH, YOU MAKE US LOOK DUMB DOWN HERE–WE KNOW WHO YOU ARE , LET SOMEONE ELSE COMMENT FOR YOU.
Dawgman566
June 2nd, 2009
8:01 pm
DAWGS ROLL!!!!!!!!!!!! Bring em on.
WinderDawg
June 2nd, 2009
8:06 pm
I know Tech fans are excited about finally beating us,congrats, as you well know, it is a new year and while i’m sure CPJ offense makes everyone shake in their boots, facts are facts, we have much better athletes, and quite frankly, better facilities, more of a fan base.But!!!, I will give you this, you have I-75 right next to your dorms!! Thats worth at least a three star recruit! 4 wins in the last 18 years does not a dynasty make! See you at historic crap field in November! SIC ‘EM !!!
WinderDawg
June 2nd, 2009
8:20 pm
RAMBLE ON!!!,
for someone to be a tech fan as yourself, you dont seem very bright.most tech fans are idiots to believe that tech has turned into some kind of major football program.WHAT A JOKE!!!!by the end of this year you will be covering up your tech t-shirt with a braves sweatshirt so that nobody knows your a tech fan.go back to talknig abot what you know best-engineering.
BS Patrol
June 2nd, 2009
8:21 pm
Very amusing, Dirty Dawg. By your logic, UF’s offensive weaknesses were exposed by Ole Miss. Now it’s a piece of cake. Everyone will beat UF. Brilliant! The Jackets are flattered that everyone will be spending the preseason preparing for them as you say. Even Dorsey Hill knows you are full of BS! Idiot!
dan
June 2nd, 2009
8:43 pm
Mark it down right now! UGA vs. FLA will be close this year! Might even go into overtime. And you Yellow Jackets are going to shut the hell up when UGA holds your offense to 13-14 points this year. Richt is 30-4 on the road including 4-0 at Boddy Dodd. You Jackets wanna put that road record to the test? In fact you wanna know how many times Tech has beaten UGA in Atlanta the last 2 years? Twice!( and really once since 1999 was a fluke). Last year’s win was a fluke, and last year’s blowout loss to Florida was misleading. Thank God we don’t have to worry about Stafford throwing INT’s to the other team this year.
Mark Bradley
June 2nd, 2009
9:27 pm
Let me make sure I have this right: Whenever Tech beats Georgia, it’s a fluke; whenever Georgia beats GT, it’s because the Bulldogs have the better team. Is that about the size of it?
Gator Growl
June 2nd, 2009
9:30 pm
EARLY predictions (includes Bowl games): Florida ends 13-1 National champs LSU 11-3 SEC runner up, wins Sugar Bowl Bama 10-3, wins in Cap One (Orlando) bowl, Ole Miss 10-3 goes back to win Cotton again, UGA 9-4 wins Outback, SC, Tenn also in bowl games. I guess I’m a real SEC homer in bowl games, although I’ll predict losses for Cocks and Vols…
Smellslikeacesspool=Grant Field
June 2nd, 2009
9:31 pm
Bradley’s comments are confusing to a knowledgeable fan. If UGA plays better than it did last year with all the talent it has, they will have a BETTER record than last year—-too much talent!
Smellslikeacesspool=Grant Field
June 2nd, 2009
9:33 pm
WinderDog, the only thing RambleOn knows is the whole cast of all the Star Wars movies. He is truly a walking reason for retroactive abortions.
Tom
June 2nd, 2009
10:00 pm
How come Tech is scared to schedule Georgia Southern? I’ve noticed they have never played.
That's correct, Mark
June 2nd, 2009
10:14 pm
Yes Mark, when you blow a huge lead by lots of turnovers, gimme points and poor tackling in one quarter and still lose by only a field goal, that my friend is luck. And when you beat a team 7 years out of 8, that is domination. I don’t see the argument, there.
We should know….ahem, Florida? We can totally admit to that.
People say, “this Tech offense is really going to open it up now.” Really? Did you ever watch Paul Johnson at GSU and Navy? Same thing every time. Up the middle or pitch. Everytime. Throw in 3 passes and there’s your offense. Granted, those backs have great numbers. But, when you rush 60 times a game as a team, how could you not?
Hey, we’ll see. No one knows. But, I know where my money’s going….and that’s some SWEEEEET action!
NorthGADawg
June 2nd, 2009
10:19 pm
I believe Mr. Bradley has decided to take a page from T.Moore and berate the local FAVORITE and by doing so drum up enough pissed off bandwagon UGA fans to make his status more well known. Doing all of this in hopes to get picked up by a major network because he now is considered controversial and able to attract a large audience. All the while Tech gets their hopes up because they think people in Georgia actually care about thier team again. Hats off to you Mark for trying to better your career but think of Tech and the terror bombings that will ensue once they figure out going to Tech doesn’t change your lowly social status with the women, thats a cruel joke.
DirtyDawg
June 2nd, 2009
10:42 pm
Well I’m proud to see that one of my comments elicited such reactions…but regardless of the ‘idiot’, and naive, and amusing logic, I stand by my observation. I’ve been watching and admiring this offense ever since Erk decided to use it at Georgia Southern – and if they had a Tracy Hamm running it, I’d be very afraid…but they don’t. By the way, this ain’t the offense that Alabama, Oklahoma and Texas ran all those years back – which, by the way if it were so unbeatable, then why did they quit it? And nothing is novel about the offense Florida runs – it balances running and throwing and features superior athletes on both sides of the ball. Besides, I wasn’t talking about UF, I was talking about Tech and I stand by my words. LSU showed everybody that it can be stopped, and so will we.
wawel78
June 2nd, 2009
10:44 pm
UGA won’t be within 20 of Florida. I think Florida slips up somewhere but it will be a small hiccup and they’ll be in the NC game. That team is way too stacked.
Mark – I think the focus will be off Stafford and Moreno and it will be more of a conscious team effort. It probably sounds a bit forced but I’m more excited about this UGA team than last. UGA was #1 but I don’t think any fan that isn’t a blind loyalist actually thought they were the best. I don’t think they’re close to this one but have a feeling they’ll be more fun to watch. If I’m predicting, I’m saying 9-3 with one let down and an upset thrown in there that plays itself out during the season. Maybe LSU?
Sanford Drive
June 2nd, 2009
11:00 pm
Dorsey Hill,
You really shouldn’t mention UF and Tech in the same sentence. Tebow and Harvin you have not.
ButlerDawg
June 2nd, 2009
11:03 pm
The only prediction that I will make at this point in time is that all of the Losers from North Avenue will again have to box up those “GT” tags that they dusted off and placed on the front of their vehicles. Football is not your sport, Techies. Never was, never will be!
12-V MAN
June 2nd, 2009
11:08 pm
MAKE THAT 5 LOSSES….Leg humpers go down to the Gamecocks in Athens as well…
BugKiller
June 2nd, 2009
11:10 pm
Mark,
Georgia’s gonna lose FIVE games this year.
And at least three of the those loses will be due to Willie Martinez’s abject incompetence as the defensive coordinator of this team.
The offense is gonna be fine.
The defense is going to underachieve because Willie Martinez is the worst defensive coordinator in the SEC, but since he and the HC are best friends and former college roommates, well, he gets to stick around.
Kind of reminds me of the Little Jimmy Mora and Greg “Take A” Knapp relationship, with more “bro” in their bromance.
DirtyDawg
June 2nd, 2009
11:20 pm
Hey bugkiller, you been drinking your diazinon again. Get off Willie’s back cause it’ll only make it that much more harder to eat those big words. Fact is, we’re gonna be better on both sides of the ball with the potential to dominate the lines of scrimmage in, potentially, every game we play. When you can do that, you can win, and usually do.
BS Patrol
June 2nd, 2009
11:23 pm
Funny to me how even with a neutral topic like this the doggie fans always seem to eventually focus on Tech who at the same time is “irrelevant, small stadium, high school gimmick offense, not a rival(just in case dogs lose)etc. etc. I can easily see 5 losses for the pups this year. Unfortunately it will take away some of the luster when Tech tramples the dogs again this year.
JDH GT
June 2nd, 2009
11:34 pm
HAHAHAHAHA. It’s funny how quickly these folks forget how our (Tech) went into half time, made adjustments, and completely dismantled them (UGA) in the second half. Now, we have better athletes. Coming out of high school, Dwyer > than any UGA running back; Nesbitt > Cox; our line ?> more experience than your line. You MAY have better receivers, but you have no QB to throw to them. The “Dawg” fans are hilarious. Year after year, they pretend to be relevant on the national level, but they aren’t. Their hopes are usually crushed by the 5th week of the year. 1980 was a LONG time ago. In fact, it was 10 years before 1990 (just an engineer here helping you out).
JDH GT
June 2nd, 2009
11:35 pm
sorry…was supposed to say “our coach”…we also have a better coach…Thanks for listening…
Rebel Rouser
June 2nd, 2009
11:36 pm
Mark, Once again you have shown that you don’t know anything about the teams and coaches in the state you live in. You base your predictions on what people outside the state say about a team they don’t even closely cover or have any knowledge of the atheletes on the roster. You are supposed to better than that…if you look closely Georgia has been stockpiling athletes for the past six years….Joe Cox is more than capable to lead the Dawgs. Did you forget that he did not lose a game he started throughout his high school playing days…and has already proven that he can carry a team on his back when the chips are down… and win games in college (see come back win against Colorado in 06′). The dawgs are loaded with atheletes at every position. They don’t have to play a gimmic offense like Tech to win games. The only reason UGA lost to Tech last year was due to eight starters being unable to play due to injuries.
I can’t wait for them to make you eat your words and show your boss how incompetent you are at your job.Every time you open your mouth you continue to show the majority of the football fans in this state how much you don’t know. If you are supposed to cover the teams in the state of Georgia you should do your homework about each one.
The Dawgs will beat Ok.State to open the season. They will probably lose two games this year but one of their loses won’t be to Tech…count on it! Mark Richt won’t let that happen and neither will the members of the team…they can’t wait for the rematch…Tech’s going to be beatdown on the Flats in their cracker box stadium sixty percent full of dawg fans.
Mark do us all a favor…go start covering highschool teams and leave the college beat to professional sports writers….we deserve better than what you’ve been dishing out over the years.
SamoanDawg
June 2nd, 2009
11:37 pm
Dawgs will not lose 4 games. First of all, we will destroy the Pokies.. they have no D. Ducks ran all over them. It’ll be a long day for Zac Robinson, after we shut their run.
O-line will carry the O. Joe will have plenty of time to dissect Ds. Entire o-line return, some from major injuries: Sturdinvant and Vance and emergence of young frosh pups: Ben Jones aka “BigNasty”, Cordy Glenn and Bean Anderson.
D-line will be anchor the D. With the return of Jeff Owen to take double team off of Geno Atkins. These two bad dawgs will free up our DEs.. Demarcus Dobbs, Roderick Battle and Cornelius Washington. Not to mention big Kade Weston and a young talented DeAngelo Tyson. Also, a true blue collar walkon DT, Brandon Wheeler will open up some eyes in the rotation. These interiors guys will control the trenches.
Can’t wait to see both lines bullied the Pokies.
Mark Bradley
June 2nd, 2009
11:37 pm
I don’t think this Georgia team will squander talent the way last season’s did. I think this year’s team will perform more or less to its capacity. I just happen to think that capacity isn’t as great as in past seasons. I mean, Georgia did just lose two first-round NFL talents, did it not?
bigdawg
June 2nd, 2009
11:42 pm
I think you are absolutely right, Mark. UGA will lose at least 4 games with a better team than last year. The schedule is just brutal and too many positions are unsettled. But overall I think we will see a better effort. Go Dawgs!
BugKiller
June 2nd, 2009
11:44 pm
I have no allusions, or in your case, DirtyDawg, DELUSIONS, about my team this year.
Willie Martinez is a horrible coach. His teams have gotten worse, EVERY YEAR, in the defensive stats that matter most: Points Per Game Allowed and Total Yards Allowed.
Look it up for yourself. Every year under Willie Martinez as the DC, the Dawgs have progressively, without platuae or without reversal, given up more yards per game and more points per game.
Under Martinez, the defense has gotten progressively worse in fundamentals as well.
Under Martinez, the defense has become the most penalized defense in the SEC, and one of the most penalized units in all of college football.
Under Martinez, the defense plays lazy and they play stupid.
Under Martinez, the defense has given up 30 or more points in a game ELEVEN TIMES.
Eleven times in four years. The is the most times EVER, in the same period, that any Georgia team has given up that many points.
Last year, for the first time EVER in Georgia’s football history, which is well over 100 years old, the Dawgs defense, under Martinez, gave up 40 or more points THREE TIMES.
40 or more points given up THREE TIMES IN ONE SEASON!!!
Do you know how many times the Georgia defense gave up 40 or more points under BVG during his four years?
NEVER.
Do you know how many times the Georgia defense gave up 30 or more points under BVG during his four years?
ONCE.
And don’t give me injuries or any other excuse. BVG’s defenses has injuries.
And Martinez’s defenses have been made up of a higher caliber of recruit.
Martinez is setting all kinds of records as the Georgia DC, just too bad they’re negative records.
The facts are clear. BVG is able to get more with less. Just look at the Falcons’ defense last year. If it weren’t for BVG, they wouldn’t have even come close the making the playoffs.
Whereas in the last four years, we can point to breakdowns in defense as the reason for all of the Dawgs losses save two.
Martinez doesn’t prepare his players.
Martinez doesn’t prepare a gameplan that stands a chance of beating a decent team, let alone an elite SEC foe.
Martinez hasn’t yet met an in-game adjustment he understands how to make.
He’s a horrible DC, and again, the ONLY reason why he still has a job, under the mounting evidence of fact for his incompetence, is because he and the HC are great friends, who went to college together, who were roommates together, etc, etc.
And because of Martinez, this team stands no chance… NO CHANCE of contending in the SEC for real.
Book it.
southgadawg88
June 2nd, 2009
11:45 pm
The thing here is for some reason most people just discount losing so many good players to injury last season.Jeff Owens was a preseason All SEC,considered a 1st rd caliber draft pick,Sturdivant was an All-American as a freshman,maybe some forget Marcus Washington has been on the field making plays since he was a freshman you know that guy who was crushing FLA players in that victory?None of these kids played a single down..No I take that back Owens played 2 snaps of the 1st series in the opener,Battle (2nd year starter by the way who was also injured)played what 20 snaps?I don’t count the young DE’s because they have yet to proved that they are playmakers …injuries do happen it’s part of the game…BUT it is a big difference between losing depth and losing starters some ALL SEC caliber players for the whole season.If these kids earned those accolades by their play on the field why wouldn’t miss them?And why wont we be better with them back?We lost Knowshon and Stafford true… losing good players to the pro’s is part of the game too.You replace them with top recruiting classes.I know the replacements may not be as good this year but it is a team game ,other parts of the team are better this year.I don’t know about the lack of “leadership” stuff you got to have PLAYERS period.Tim Tebow couldn’t “Lead” Mississippi State to squat!!!USC loses 10 starters yet they are a top 5 team?Why?”Pete Carrol can recruit?Hell so can Mark Richt!!!If USC can lose Bush,White and Leinart and keep on trucking why cant UGA keep it moving?Let’s peek at some records.OKSU 9-4-lost to the last 3 teams with winning records they played.Im not sold on Big 12 teams.. when was the last time a good Big 12 team beat a good SEC team period?LSU 8-5 Maybe folks feel like their talent is better than ours or something I don’t see any advantage they have..their offense is going to overpower our D?Or their D is going to shut us down?Really?somebody point out how they see that happening?What Chavis has our number or something?GT 9-4 When you look at Tech’s season it was their defense that allowed them to win games except of course for the last two.Anytime you give up 40 pts in a game win or lose you can draw nothing from that encounter other than you are lucky if you won.They lose the defensive rocks of their team and now they are supposed to be better?Is their OL are DL better than ours?WR’s going to dominate our DB’s or something?What gives them the edge?Now THE game is those lizards!!!!Funny thing that chip on your shoulder can do for you!Urban ought to think Mark for that stunt in the endzone.. now it swings back..CMR threw down the gauntlet and Meyer responded to the challenge.You can’t slap a man and then turn your back when he put his dukes up!!!!Mark Richt beat FLA at FSU I don’t really think there is any “shook factor” with the coaching staff in regards to FLA.There is a couple of interesting things going on this year.We have the bye week….. a whole extra week to stew on getting smacked up last year.Second thing is Trinton,Jeff and Marcus played great in that victory…two things stood out to me in that game…we didn’t block very well and our D couldn’t force a punt or hold em to a fg when needed.Turnovers where there too but the aforementioned factors were the killers.I think those kids coupled with what we have coming back will speak to those issues.Lastly that chip is firmly on OUR shoulders…..WM sucks,CMR has lost touch,Bobo don’t have a clue,FLA has better players,FLA is inside UGA’s head,on and on…you better believe the hate is already brewing in Athens for that game.Tell you the truth if UGA loses 1 game this year I would be shocked if THAT was the 1.Now for some reason AUB and Tenn worry me the most.Tenn-I do know the Monte Kiffen is a good coach and Tenn has some talent.I’m not so sure FLA is going to crush Tenn regardless of what you think of Lane Kiffen.AUB-It’s AUB this series is strange… a 2-8 AUB is capable of beating UGA and vice versa.They are due.
Terrible Truth
June 2nd, 2009
11:45 pm
You know the economy is bad when a company agrees to try to sell Ga. Yech tickets. Dogs lose three in a “down” year. Logan Gray’s playing time will increase as the season progresses. Tech loses five, teams will study the LSU tapes and deploy their team speed (provided they have any) to stifle PJ’s 19th century offense. PJ will start buying Tum’s and Pepto by the case. Developers will offer Tech two billion dollars for the land the campus sits on, contingent on whether or not they can get the smell out.
RedandBlack
June 2nd, 2009
11:48 pm
The Dogs will start the 2009 season with a big win on the road. They will end the season winning at least the last three games including their bowl game. Logan Gray will play a significant role at QB this year as will Joe Cox. The defense will be the major factor in providing the Bulldogs with a record at the end of the season that will be the same or better than the 2008 season. Four to six freshmen will make significant contributions to the stellar season. Jacksonville will be a taser party to remember. We all will enjoy 2009. Let the Big Dogs Eat. Woof, Baby, Woof!! Go Dogs!!!
82dawg
June 2nd, 2009
11:49 pm
Mark, I think losing four games is optimistic. I predict this team to go 7-5. There is nothing to base any belief that the defense will be any better this year with Soft Willie leading the way. We are simply not going to be talented enough on offense to outscore the points our defense surrenders. I am just trying to keep it real here, I am sorry if I offend anyone. I said three losses last year and was lambasted. So, live with it everyone.
82dawg
June 2nd, 2009
11:54 pm
If you can’t fire Soft Willie, promote him! Associate Athletics Director for Cheese Doodles.
bill
June 2nd, 2009
11:57 pm
Sorry to all you haters but this team reminds me alot of a certain team from Tenn. that lost the best QB they ever had and then won a national title. As great as MS & KM were I think UGA will be better this year for the following reasons, a veteren OL so JC and the RBs will not have to carry the O, and trust me the D will not let themselves get embarrassed again b/c CMR will not put up with it a second year in a row and DCWM knows it and will be on some asses if they start missing tackles again. I dont know if UGA can win it all but never underestimate a team returning that much talent on the OL, or a D that feels disrespected the UGAS will. And to all you GT fans when you come on these blogs bragging about your win last year you show just how stupid you are in sports knowledge. Stick with the nerdy things you know something about.
SamoanDawg
June 3rd, 2009
12:18 am
BugKiller, this will be Willie’s best year. Why? Jeff Owen.. vocal leaser, Geno Atkins.. strong hardnose, Kade Weston.. big agile.. and an unknown true blue collar Brandon Wheeler.. 4 interior seniors.
DE: Roderick Battle-Sr.. played well til injury bug bit.
Rennie Curran.. on/off the field leader.
Darryl Gamble.. will be in the 5 package at stand up DE.
Bryan Evans.. will be my surprise dark horse. don’t be surprised if he leads the team in ints.. yes, Jeff Owen and the front 4 will make life easier for our 2nd/3rd level guys.
We don’t need to free Willie!
DrinkMyWhiskeyClear
June 3rd, 2009
12:29 am
Bill, I will most certainly stick to nerdy things I know about. In fact the world would be a substantially better place to live if there were more nerds and less mullets. That said, this blog exhibits the degeneracy of U[sic]GA fans in their static mindedness. They think that every team will watch and mimic the LSU approach last year while completely abstracting from the fact that CPJ has evolved his offense *every year* as coach, adding new dimensions, variants, and wrinkles to his offense. The world is dynamic, and I suggest you put the uzi away, finish your moonshine, kiss your wife (which is multitasking as she is also your sister) and retire for the evening… big shift at Wal-Mart tomorrow.
bill
June 3rd, 2009
12:39 am
Your a funny man whiskey, but I dont think I said anything about LSUs D approach.And CPJ is a great coach but he still doesnt have the talent CMR does. And if Ellerbee wasnt such a showboat and makes that sideline tackle in the 3rd qtr. it would be 8 in a row.
bill
June 3rd, 2009
12:41 am
Oh and Whiskey I forgot to tell you to tell your “life partner AKA your brother” I said hello.
Saint Simons
June 3rd, 2009
12:59 am
waterdonzi you don’t know jack!!!
Whopper Dawg
June 3rd, 2009
1:11 am
Mark,
They may lose four, but not one to OK State. Cox will be better than folks think and both lines will be fine. But could lose three to four in the SEC and Tech is really going to be a problem – and all that is due to Willie M. Georgia will not beat Tech again until Willie is gone – Reason? Excellent execution, game plan and discipline vs whatever the hell WM is doing which is a mystery.
Expect Richt to be under extreme pressure to make a move there after this year as the D will not be better in spite of the talent under WM.
Atlanta Journal Constitution » Blog Archive » No way Georgia can lose four games? Sure about that?
June 3rd, 2009
2:01 am
[...] Mark Bradley | ajc.com – [...]
BarkingBulldawg
June 3rd, 2009
2:08 am
Bradley, it’s definitely plausible that the Dawgs could lose four games this season. Of course you have to know there are some wacko’s out here in cyberspace. Why are you acting so surprised that “one or two” people disagreed with you (or was this a number an attempt at hyperbole?)
But, it’s also not entirely implausible that the Dawgs win 11. Or beat the Gators. Or both. After all, that’s why we watch right?
GURU
June 3rd, 2009
2:31 am
I know one thing, Georgia better not have a losing season, because Rocky Top will be rolling up the recruits.
Braindawg
June 3rd, 2009
3:46 am
Get real M. Bradley, are you takeing writing notes from T. Moore!!! Sorry i couldnt pass a chance to take a shot at T. Moore, although I hope his negative self is doing well in his new job. Really I do!!!
The Dawgs will improve on their short comings that plagued them last year and will lose only two maybe only one this year. They always play better when no one thinks they can….Maybe they will win them all…Well I can dream cant I!!! Hey its not as big a dream as GT dreaming of winning two in a row over the Dawgs!!! And thats a fact, later losers from downtown Atlanta, and no im not talking about a pro team, im talking about the Ga. Tech Yellow Fa_gots!
tony
June 3rd, 2009
4:52 am
If Aaron Murray is the starting QB and if Jeff Owens come back 100% we might lose 1 game this season.
Ed
June 3rd, 2009
5:11 am
UGA has two big things going for it this year. Joe Cox’s leadership & fire and Sturdivant back at LT where he will make all-conference.
» SEC links: UT’s Tyler Smith considering overseas John Clay’s Sidelines
June 3rd, 2009
6:05 am
[...] Mark Bradley of the AJC writes that Georgia football will have its hands full thanks to a difficult schedule. [...]
heeldawg
June 3rd, 2009
6:16 am
I have to agree with the posters above who say that Bradley is trying to make angry Dawg fans riled (and bring out the overeager Tech fans) in order to get a lot of hits on his blog–which is why he has essentially printed two variations of the same controversial column within one week. That’s what the journalism game is all about, and most of us understand that.
That being said, Mark, I don’t think it is unreasonable to project a four-loss season. Georgia has a tough schedule (Tech would lose at least three, and maybe more, with the same schedule, but they play in the ACC), and two first-rounders are gone. I also think, as you implied, that last year’s team underachieved due to a number of factors–a huge number of injuries, Mark Richt’s decision to stop hitting full speed as a result of those injuries, a loss of focus due to the distractions of Moreno and Stafford, etc. When Owens, Sturdivant and Vance went down, I knew Georgia was going to lose at least two games last season. The Tech game was the only one in which the Dawgs lost to a truly less-talented opponent (and no, it wasn’t a fluke–Tech outplayed Georgia that day. Turnovers and missed tackles cost the Dawgs the ball game). Most football games are won and lost in the trenches, and Georgia’s top three linemen were hurt early last year. The team lost focus. They weren’t as hungry as they should have been. Despite all of this, they managed to go 10-3 and win a New Year’s Day Bowl, and the schedule last season was every bit as hard as the upcoming one.
Here’s my take on 2009: barring injury, the line play at Georgia on both sides of hte ball should be better. QB play will be solid, if unspectacular. AJ Green, Marlon Brown, Rontavious Wooten and the other returning Georgia receivers will emerge as a substantial receiving corps. A running back rotation will emerge which will allow a solid 5 ypc or so. The defense–last year’s most glaring weakness– will be markedly better across the front line. LB play will be solid, as will play in the secondary. The whole team will play with a chip on its collective shoulder because of the abuse they took last season. Georgia will go out to Stillwater and win the season opener precisely because nobody thinks they can, because Mark Richt is a great road coach and because he’s at his best when given time to prepare for a quality season opener. They’ll beat USCe in a close one, defeat ASU, UT, Tennessee Tech, UK, Vandy, Arkansas and Auburn because they’re simply a better team than those opponents, and will probably lose to Florida and maybe to LSU (that game’s a tossup–depends on what Chavis can do with the LSU defense, which underachieved big-time last year). And as for Tech? Tech will be better on offense this season and worse on defense. Talent-wise, Georgia’s got the edge if they can put it all together. The outcome of that game will hinge on turnovers–whoever wins the turnover battle will win the contest (look at Tech’s wins and losses last season and you’ll see that this is historically true). So I see a 9-3 or 10-2 season for Georgia, with yet another New Year’s Day bowl game. In other words, a typical Mark Richt year.
Gen Neyland
June 3rd, 2009
6:57 am
Has anybody touched on secondary volations yet..?
Bill : Really reminds you of 1998 Atop Rocky..? Funny thing about a new season is anything is possible.
Heeldawg : One thing’s for sure. Last season at UGA, CMR threw together so many concoctions in the offensive line salad, the whack job on Hell’s Kitchen would have been proud.
A new topic : How many ‘jump passes’ will Tebow attempt/complete for TD’s in 2009..? Me, I think he’ll only pull that play out once, either in the SECCG or NCG and it’ll go for an 101 yards in the opposite direction. Thoughts on this..?
SEC links: UT’s Tyler Smith considering overseas | MrSEC.com
June 3rd, 2009
7:20 am
[...] Mark Bradley of the AJC writes that Georgia football will have its hands full thanks to a difficult schedule. [...]
TommyP
June 3rd, 2009
7:26 am
Tech’s defense will not be what it was last year, Mark. You haven’t touched on that part yet. They lost a lot from that great defensive line.
If Georgia runs for it’s typical 2,000-2,300 yards, we’ll be fine. It’s finding a RB or RB committee that will be the task. Caleb King will NOT be THE GUY. It’s either Samuel or eventually Ealey. My money is on Samuel.
Georgia will be better defensively and the offensive line will be MUCH improved. Just need Cox to do a solid job and we’ll see another 10 wins.
bull-gator
June 3rd, 2009
7:34 am
Bulldogs beat Oklahoma State and Tech…lose to LSU and Florida
Charles
June 3rd, 2009
7:45 am
Is it me or is UGA the only team every year concerned about their schedule? We all know how last year’s supposedly nation’s hardest schedule turned into one of the easiest. It’s not like Fla, Alabama, LSU and others don’t play these same teams every year also.
BRADLEY'S A DUMBASH
June 3rd, 2009
7:54 am
AND YOU APPARENTLY CAN PREDICT THE NEXT PRESIDENT BY VIEWING WHO WINS THE IOWA CAUCUS, SINCE WHEN DID PRESEASON RATINGS MEAN ANYTHING IN THE END. DUMBASH!!!!
GT
June 3rd, 2009
7:55 am
I think they will upset one of the four teams on that list and lose to one that is not on that list, they do every year. South Carolina is due, they have a quarterback and they have played close without one for several years, or maybe Arkansas, where hate him or not the guy can coach.. south Carolina runs out of juice late in the season but the team that plays them early gets the full brunt of the storm. I think Ok. State will be overrated like Arizona State was a few years ago. Georgia will get all hyped up go there beat them and relax for the SEC opener only to find they have not forgotten how to play football in that conference and really don’t care who Georgia thinks it is.
GTMike
June 3rd, 2009
8:13 am
The Dawgs will be tough. Fans who believe that just because they lose Stafford and Moreno they will be a pushover are crazy. The Dawgs have serious talent on their O line, and (as long as they stay healthy) their strategy will be to run, run, run on everyone, with Cox only needing to connect on the occasional pass. Remember, Buck Belue was a terrible passer as well, but it did not matter much the way those Georgia teams ran.
They could lose 4 (but it is hard to see them losing more than that) They could surprise and lose fewer than 4. I do think the Tech-UGa game will be a titanic struggle, and it will be decided in the trenches, not by the glamor names. If UGa is able to play ball control, run the football all day long and keep it away from Tech’s offense, they can win. And they might be able to do just that. If Tech can force them to pass or punt, Tech should win.
Dawg fans who think Tech’s offense will get easier to defend are delusional. Paul Johnson’s offenses have always improved year over year, wherever he has been, so familiarity works both ways. Our guys will get better at running it, and the net net is that our offense will in fact get better this year.
SEC fans who believe the SEC is soooo much better than the ACC are also mired in myth. The head to head results don’t support the arguments (the ACC won the regular season head to head matchups last year, and would have dominated if not for UF). The truth is both are major football conferences, and most SEC teams would have about the same record in the ACC as they do in the SEC (and vice versa). Keep in mind that Tech was 2-1 vs the “mighty” SEC last year, that doesn’t exactly make us tremble with fear.
willieg
June 3rd, 2009
8:17 am
listen i guarantee uga will beat FLORIDA THIS YEAR AND I TELL YOU WHY look at the history of that series and this is fact UGA has 2weeks to prepare for florida and they will win that game and knock florida out of the bcs championship game i told all you idiots from gt,and fla first this is the willster and nobody in the SEC WILL WIN THE NC THIS YEAR IVE ALREADY BET IT SO GET OVER IT uga will be much better next year,so get ready oklahoma, usc, notre dame, nebraska, you will see a shift in in power this year so good luck to all you losers in GEORGIA
GatorChomp
June 3rd, 2009
8:17 am
Right on, oh sage MB….The Dawgs will have to bring back the end zone celebration because a TD will be a real rarity!
Mark Bradley
June 3rd, 2009
8:28 am
Er, didn’t Barack Obama win the Iowa caucus?
willieg
June 3rd, 2009
8:32 am
UGA IS OVERRATED ,SO IS MISERABLE TECH,THE HAWKS ARE AND EMBARRASMENT TO ATLANTA,THE HOCKEY TEAM PLEASE,ITS 100 DEGREES IN UGA PROBALLY 35 DAYS OUT OF SUMMER, AND THE LOW LIFE BRAVES, SO MUCH TALENT AND NOBODY TO RUN ORGANIZATION RIGHT I WS A JOKE,SO ALL YOU FANS GET OVER IT EVERY TEAM IN GA IS PATHETIC NOT WORTH WATCHING UNLESS YOU HAVE MONEY ON IT THIS IS WHY MY HOUSE IS PAID FOR THANKS TO THE SORRY GA TEAMS, THIS STATE NEEDS TO BOYCOTE ALL UGA SPORTS TEAMS AND GET NEW OWNERSHIP IN ALL OF THEM, AND PEACHTREE TV GETTING SEC GAMES IS A JOKE, IT IT THE SORRIEST TV STATION IN AMERICA,PATHETIC THIS IS WHY I ONLY LISTEN TO THE SOORY BRAVES ON RADIO THEY PULLED ONE OUT OF THE RABBITS HAT LAST NIGHT HOORAY WAIT TILL THE BREW CREW COMES TO TOWN AND THE GREAT YANKEES, AND REDSOX COME TO TOWN THIS MONTH IVE GOT TICKETS TO SEE THE GREATEST BASEBALL FRANCHISE IN HISTORY THE YANKEES
UGASlobberknocker
June 3rd, 2009
8:34 am
I feel every season that it is possible that the Dawgs could win them all. Usually on paper there are only 2 or 3 teams better (at the most)..and in those games, we are close in talent so anything can happen. On the flip side, every season I feel we could go 6-5 since we might lose those 3 just mentioned plus a couple we shouldnt. So with those two parameters, I have just summarized most of the the previous 111 comments. (excluding those fans from other teams who predict us to lose em all).
The safe prediction for Mark or anyone this year is 8-4 for the reasons Mark mentioned in his column today. So I look at his prediction as this: He predicts the Dog will win every game that they are favored, but lose every game that they aren’t. And since those two things almost never happen in the same year, that prediction is flawed, in my opinion. But certainly possible.
Me, I predict 11-0 every year. This will be my 35th Dawg season; I have been correct once. So with a 1-33 record to date, far be it for me to criticize anyone’s predictions.
Jeff
June 3rd, 2009
8:35 am
Oh Boy…here you go again…bash bash bash…and jump on the Jackette bandwagon…..seen it before….same results. Jackettes get smashed, ajc “sportswriters” (I use the term loosly) look like complete idiots (again) and UGA wins the East……..hahahahahahah
JJ
June 3rd, 2009
8:38 am
I just love how those Jacket fans stay quivering in the shadows and the first time they beat us in years, the come storming out front and center. Don’t forget that we now have an entire years worth of tape on Mr. Johnson’s scheme. See you soon.
Alpharetta-bound
June 3rd, 2009
8:52 am
Mark, I think it’s a fair assessment to have us down for four losses based on how preseason prognostications go. We’ve got a challenging conference schedule and the toughest non-conference slate for an SEC team. We lost the vast majority of our offensive production, and that carried us last season. Frankly, if we don’t have Stafford and Knowshon, we don’t beat UK, Auburn and MSU (although Green came up big too in a couple of those). They willed us to scores in key drives during those games.
That said, the dynamics of this team will be totally different from 08 (strength of the lines vs. strength of skill players). I think this favors SEC play, and it’s something that carried us in 02 and to a certain extent 05 (that D was considered dominant until the UF game). I’d have a lot more confidence in our chances if we had a solid returning pass rush. It can’t be understated how important that is.
If we can find a pass rush and some production out of young DTs this year, 2010 looks extremely promising. It’s going to take a lot to dethrone the Gators in 09 – they’ve got the best player, offense, defense, and let’s face it, best producing coach. But anything can happen – especially with a little Junkyard swagger in that game we play just south of the state line.
Rob
June 3rd, 2009
8:56 am
All I have to say is: 45-42.
Tech sucks
June 3rd, 2009
8:58 am
Don’t give too much credence to the preseason ranking of OK State. We’ve seen this before with them and Boise State, etc. They were both supposed to beat us early in each season and we stomped both of them. On the road the Dawgs are money. You can bank that game. Dawgs win by double digits.
They will probably lose to Florida and one other but it won’t be Georgia Tech.
Tech sucks
June 3rd, 2009
8:59 am
Hey Rob,
All I have to say is that is pretty pathetic that you cling to a 3 point victory after getting your ass beat for 7 straight years. Get ready for another run starting this year nerd.
RAMBLE ON!!!
June 3rd, 2009
9:00 am
Roddy Jones just went another 16.9 yards
rainman
June 3rd, 2009
9:01 am
I guess the UGay fans have resigned themselves to the fact that the only way they are going to play at the dome is in the chicken bowl.
SammyB
June 3rd, 2009
9:02 am
Georgia is already complaining about how hard their schedule is…it must be Spring!
No Way
June 3rd, 2009
9:03 am
I would rather never win another game then ever have to pull for a loser school like tech. These are the people who never played sports and sat in the stands in high school with their shirts off and chest painted. You know the real cool guys who got all the girls. Now after winning 1 time in 8 years they think they are now the cool people. News flash. You are losers. You have always been losers and anyone who knows football and sports besides maybe soccer knows that you people have no idea what you are talking about the majority of the time. If I had lost to our in state arch rival for 7 of the last 8 years I would keep my mouth shut but don’t expect the same from the nerds who like to hide behind their computer and write on sports blogs when taking breaks from dungeons and dragons. Go lose your virginity, to a girl, and you might stop being so pathetic.
Gatorzone
June 3rd, 2009
9:22 am
Should be interesting. I do not see UGA losing 4. I think they will beat OSU and Gt, but lose a gamet they expect to win (UT or USC). I predict a 9-3 season which should be viewed as a great success considering the offensive power lost in the draft. BTW, will Stafford start the season in Detroit?
Wes Stansbury
June 3rd, 2009
9:27 am
I think that you are insane! These Dawgs are much better than people think!
Wes Stansbury
June 3rd, 2009
9:28 am
You are insane!
DirtyDawg
June 3rd, 2009
9:44 am
bugkiller, I may be ‘deluded’, but at least I know the difference in ‘allusion’ and ‘illusion’ (look it up). Make no mistake, I am ‘alluding’ that your ‘illusions’ about the defense are dead-ass wrong. My guess is that you are indeed drinking the diazinon. What else would poison you so on ‘your’ team…with fans like you who needs enemies?
Georgia News - 6/3/09 | MrSEC.com
June 3rd, 2009
9:51 am
[...] secondary violations and three of them involve the football program.The AJC’s Mark Bradley is having to explain why he picked Georgia to lose four regular season games this fall.Mark Richt will take part in a roast of Bobby Bowden, but due to his [...]
Assistant Chef @ Mickey D's
June 3rd, 2009
10:00 am
Beware all Yellow Jackets! ga now has FILM of Tech & will use it mercilessly in the same way we have used it against UF! We will use this FILM & deploy our superior SEC speed to shut down Tech’s offense in much the same way a hummingbird uses his superior speed to stop a bulldozer.
Yellowandblackattack
June 3rd, 2009
10:14 am
Well, I hope your right and I hope the Dawgs lose 4 or more. I am not very optimistic however they will be as bad as my fellow Jacket fans would like to think. I know a defensive linemen from UGA and they are saying this will be their best OL, maybe ever. Their center, Ben Jones is a beast. He shut down Terrance Cody from Alabama last season and he was only a true freshmen. Boling and Sturdivant are NFL caliber players and Glenn and Anderson both bench press over 500 lbs. Strickland broke Pollack’s squat record, well over 700. Just being realistic here. I think UGA wins alot of games playing behine this line. I still think Tech can beat them, but you got to admit, they were missing alot of players with injuries when we beat them last season. Anyway, I hope they are healthy when we play them this year, so there are no excuses. And I sure hope Richt lost the tape of our bowl game with LSU.
Reality Check...
June 3rd, 2009
10:30 am
Mark, you know how to set off a fire storm..Predict UGA’s record and watch rival fans come out of the wood work to give there uneducated predictions. The hate is still strong. I pray that this “OSU blow out prediction” is being aired in two places..Stillwater and Athens. Please tell all of your media buddies to keep beating that drum. It will play into CMR hands perfectly. You have seen what the media has done for the defense’s attitude this spring. It even got CWM to put a SAM linebacker at rush end on passing downs. Keep up the good work MB. You are not insane, you are quite clever. GO DAWGS!!! Focus on OSU!!!!
Mark Bradley
June 3rd, 2009
10:37 am
I didn’t pick Oklahoma State to blow out Georgia. Just to win the game.
Will
June 3rd, 2009
10:47 am
Didn’t Mark predict the Dogs to win the National Championship last season? I wouldn’t trust what this guy writes.
Burdell
June 3rd, 2009
10:47 am
The Tech = nerds,virgins, D&D and the UGA = fast food worker are SO ridiculous and most likely used by folks that never went to either school. Both are great schools in their respective areas of expertise. I expect both teams to be 9-2 going into the game on the Flats in November. The GT-UGA game is always a crapshoot…except for that spectacle a few years ago in Athens 55-10 or something like that. Regardless, I can’t wait for Labor Day weekend to roll around so we can stop prognosticating and watch some darn football.
Reality Check...
June 3rd, 2009
10:47 am
My bad Mark. Here is my prediction for the media, not you but your collegues in the media will say that UGA will get blown out by OSU and give plenty of reasons for it. Here is where you come in. We need you to pass this along in one of your colums so we can put some home grown weight behind it. You helped with the hype last year. So we need your help again this year. You know these kids watch the media.
Stephen
June 3rd, 2009
10:50 am
Go back and look at Auburn’s 2008 losses:
26-21 to LSU
14-13 to Vanderbilt
25-22 to Arkansas
17-7 to Ole Miss
17-13 to Georgia
If last year’s Auburn team had ANY consistency on offense, those are games that would have easily been won. Instead of a 5-7 record, it could easily have been as good as 10-2. The defense in 2009 will be just as good, if not better and the offense has nowhere to go but UP. Auburn may not win the West… but I don’t think they’ll finish 5th.
Mark Bradley
June 3rd, 2009
10:51 am
I wouldn’t trust anything that Bradley guy writes, either.
Jim
June 3rd, 2009
11:10 am
We all how crazy college football can be, of course losing 4 games is a possibility. Ok,Ok, we all we lost #7 and #24 and all of the sudden everyone thinks UGA will be lucky to make it to the Peach Bowl or whatever it`s called know. I do know a few things that are in UGA`s favor though.
1. No #1 hype this year. It just seems that the Dawgs play best when flying under the radar.
2. Solid Offense and Defense lines, as long as the injury bug stays away, and the guys play to their potiential, UGA will surprise some people this year.
3. Joe Cox, ok he`s not Stafford, and does not have the cannon arm. But, he is a leader and a very vocal one who, in the limited time he has played has shown flashes of how good he can be.
4. The defense. Jeff Owens and Co. are going to play with a chip on their shoulder.
- A win in Oklahoma could start a roll of momentum into the South Carolina game which is a tough game, arkansas will be much improved from last year but UGA can pull a win out of there too. If this happens they`ll be top 10 and have a great shot going the LSU game undefeated, a bye week prior to the cocktail party (hey, you gotta believe right?) are a few things that are on their side on the schedule.
I think 10 wins are doable, 11 best case. Hopefully, everyone stays out of trouble over the summer and we`ll see starting Sept 5th. what team shows up. GO DAWGS!!
Cuz
June 3rd, 2009
11:10 am
If you get these four games right would you send me the numbers for the Mega Millions when it gets to around two hundred million. I don’t want to be bothered with one of those smaller payouts.
Iceman
June 3rd, 2009
11:18 am
I seriously question the fandom of those who are willing to concede losses, before the season even begins.
TAKE OUT TEBOW!
June 3rd, 2009
11:20 am
Here’s one thing that I want to see happen this year: I wanna see some defense, ANY DEFENSE, shut Tim Tebow down on those 1 yard TD runs. Why can’t a defensive coordinator figure how to stop this? Is it really that hard to defend? And why are these defensives afraid to hit Tim Tebow? A QB nonetheless! I don’t care if the guy is built like a FB, a defender should NEVER be afraid to hit any offensive player, EVER! That should be ingrained in their psychology. So here’s what I want every team that plays the Gators do to: I want them to stack 8 or 9 guys in the box on the goal line and shut Tim Tebow down.
If you’re going to lose to the Gators, it’s going to be because they beat you in the passing game, or because someone like Demps out races you. Tebow can even do that stupid jump pass if he wants! But I’m tried of defensives being scared to hit him. I want some little scrub defender for one play, just one play, to play like Ray Lewis and hit Tebow so hard that it cracks his sternum clear half! I want that SOB to be spitting up blood from that hit! And I want him to think of that hit everytime he touches the ball for having the audacity to run up the middle! I haven’t seen a good lick on Tebow yet and I’m tired of it. Put him on his Heisman Trophy winning ass!
Cuz
June 3rd, 2009
11:20 am
Mark, tips to know if you are insane.
1. You have a white dinner jacket with real long arms in your closet.
2. You can actually bounce off the walls in your bedroom.
3. You actually think the Hawks would win one game against Cleveland.
4. You picked the Dawgs to win the 2009 MNC because your goldfish told you he knows a guppie that said the Dawgs would go all the way.
Just trying to help as always.
PTC Jacket
June 3rd, 2009
11:22 am
Cuz: Didn’t SI and UGA fans pick the Dawgs to win the 2009 MNC too?
Cuz
June 3rd, 2009
11:26 am
Take out, I’ll have the Moo Goo Guy Pan with eggroll and white rice.
Iceman, I think that the Dawgs can win any game they play. But I am such a blind homer I have a seeing eye Bulldawg. Darn dawg has a time getting over those curbs he is so low to the ground.
Cuz
June 3rd, 2009
11:30 am
PTC, SI did. You can dust off the old blogs and see where I had my doubts. Okay I did not think we would win. To hopefully fire up the team and prove me wrong, I came up with the phrase “Earn It!”, after a few shots of General Neylands sipping bore solvent. We had the ranking but they had to earn it on the field. They did not. That phrase lasted about as long as my last girlfriend.
wawel78
June 3rd, 2009
11:40 am
Auburn also beat MSU 3-2 and UT 14-12. So I guess you would’v lost those and been 3-9?
Mark Bradley
June 3rd, 2009
11:40 am
Cuz, when I was a younger fellow I sought to bounce off the wall of my bedroom. Wound up putting a hole in the drywall the exact size of my kneecap. My mother has never forgiven me.
FYI, we covered the hole with a black-and-white poster of Pete Rose. I swear.
Gatorzone
June 3rd, 2009
11:41 am
TAKE OUT TEBOW…
You sound just like someone who has NEVER played a down of football!
Stephen, you make good points but I can’t help but ask why did you fire TT?
wawel78
June 3rd, 2009
11:44 am
Saying you think your team will lose is not conceding a loss. Most of the time, it’s being objective. I don’t think UGA will beat UF but I hope they do. If you want to question my fandom, feel free to bet me straight up and you can question me all day long.
Saint Nick
June 3rd, 2009
12:03 pm
Where is M??? Hopefully he will finally STFU and crawl back to his rock!!!! WE ALL KNOW THEY WON’T WIN THE EAST, AFTER THAT WHO CARES!!!!ROLLS TIDES!!!!
Drew-G-A
June 3rd, 2009
12:17 pm
If the Dawgs lose to OK State, I think that they will rally and play even harder after that and win games people don’t think that they should win. I agree the schedule is hard. I’m not expecting to win at Florida, but that’s the only one I’m not expecting, as a fan I expect us to win every game but the Florida game, as a logical person I say we’ll win 9-10 this year. And byt the way Bradley, rankings don’t mean squat preseason, case and point the 2008 Dawgs. Let’s not forget that the Dawgs will also be looking for revenge against Tech, and seriously was Tech that good last year. we lost to them yes, but logically they don’t warrant the high preseason ranking any more than UGA does. It’s also a RIVALRY game. Anything can happen.
Cuz
June 3rd, 2009
12:22 pm
Mark, I will try and extrapolate on your response to my comments regarding bouncing off the wall. You attended the University of Kentucky. I would take it as a guess that you lived in Kentucky, and Cincy is right across the border on the Ohio River. Pete Rose played in Cincinnati. He apparently gambled all over. I therefore conclude that you were a Cincinnati Reds and Pete Rose fan as a youngster. And that you beat the other kids in five card draw before school and took their lunch money.
Me, I was more of a Chico Escuela fan.
Cuz
June 3rd, 2009
12:24 pm
Tech was pretty good in the third quarter.
Gen. Stoopnagle
June 3rd, 2009
12:25 pm
“I kind of agree about the team-building part, Wawel. But clearly the Bulldogs won’t be as talented without those two. How could they?”
IF A.J. Green develops, Marlon Brown is 80% A.J. Green, Jeff Owens returns, Sturdivant returns making a better and more experienced OL and, most importantly, the defense shores up. The only one that does not inspire confidence is the last. Factor in that it may discipline the offense to not have MS and KM (less check downs into low percentage passes, less waiting for KM to make something out of nothing), it might be a better offense despite the perceived talent drop.
And as regards Georgia Tech, I’ll use an analogy: Georgia : Florida :: Georgia Tech : Georgia. Look it up. Georgia will more often than not win the game on flukes, bounces and spectacular plays if not by a substantial margin. That’s the overwhelming history of the series – hence the wide margin in wins favoring Georgia overall.
Jesus C.
June 3rd, 2009
12:45 pm
St. Richt, by the power of our father almighty, cannot lose four games this season, as it is not God’s will.
I bless.
jdawg
June 3rd, 2009
12:48 pm
If they lose, they may lose early and get better…that is what I see from this team…and most of all, until they get together we really do not know…they could lose 5 and then maybe only 2…but folks, I love just going to the game also. I would have liked to have won many, many more in my years…but have enjoyed the ride to see true football, not pros.
Mark Bradley
June 3rd, 2009
12:59 pm
Grew up 60 miles from Cincinnati, Cuz.
WTF???
June 3rd, 2009
1:01 pm
Bradley, quit stirring the sh!t pot. You know good & darned well that Okie State is a W, LSU has beaten us how many times since Richt came to UGA? UF, mark it down. Unless Tebow cuts off his ring finger during a circumcision they’ll win in J-Ville. We’ll get the annual beatdown of the Nerds back on track in November. Dawgs play in the Capitol One Bowl, Possibly the United States Credit Card Company Bowl if we just give out just a few more hundred million in bailout money….
Defense will be back on track this year, BUSTIN HEADS.
WTF???
June 3rd, 2009
1:01 pm
Bradley, what the hell is up with the Chili up there? Do they cook it in someone’s a$$hole?
Da King
June 3rd, 2009
1:31 pm
Tech75 u are right u beat us fair and square congratulations. U piled up a lot of offense on a lot of teams but even wit dat great defense u still lost to lsu. And that supposedly great defense is missing a lot of pieces. But all da talking dont mean anything lets just see what happens on da field, Old Fashioned Hate is back and the countdown is own.
Tommy Wildfire Rich
June 3rd, 2009
1:46 pm
Da King- Tech’s defense wasn’t great. It was very average. I’m not sure there will be a huge dropoff. The countdown is “own”.
Tommy Wildfire Rich
June 3rd, 2009
1:48 pm
How can you possibly spell “congratulations” correctly, and miss the word “on”?
Cuz
June 3rd, 2009
1:48 pm
Amazing how a loss gets a rivalry train back on the track.
Beware the Gamehens, we are their second biggest rival. Right now it is all quiet on the border, but they will start cackling soon.
Cuz
June 3rd, 2009
1:51 pm
A big WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO to Wildfire. In regards to spelling issues, ask my friend Altamaha, he never met a spell check he did not like.
Pitbull
June 3rd, 2009
1:51 pm
I see Mark Bradley is being a jerk again. Screw him.
Cuz
June 3rd, 2009
2:28 pm
No thanks Pitbull, he is not my type.
BruffDawg
June 3rd, 2009
2:37 pm
The man is just being realistic bulldawg fans; we could lose 4-5 games this year. LSU seems unlikely since Richt owns The Hat (has he beaten UGA?). Watch out for SC for they always play us tough at our house. Fla will always be a challenge, but if we get a few breaks you never know. OKST will be the coming out party for our new defense (35-17). And then there is the in state rivals GT. I promise you this year means more to Richt than any other team on the sched. He was an acc guy remember? He will see that a slugfest favors PJ’s style so he will go for the jugular right away. Big pass plays and trickery right off the bat to make GT throw the ball (which favors UGA). UGA builds a substantial lead and then for a change he does not let up as he has in previous years. You brought it on yourself GT when you took the pictures with the hedge clippings in your mouth. If Urban Myer has taught one thing to Richt it is how to exact revenge. I dont expect anything like late timeouts, but don’t be suprised to see playaction in the fourth quarter. No mercy will be given this time ( i was there in 2002, we could have scored 80) and the final will read 45-14. But dont be suprised if he tries to go for more, say 55?
Wil Walton
June 3rd, 2009
2:50 pm
Who cares about predictions? UGA is 0-0 right now. Let’s watch the games and see how they unfold. If I knew what the record was going to be at the end, that would kill the suspense. The suspense is part of what drives our passion for sports!
DawgByte
June 3rd, 2009
3:21 pm
So goes the QB play, so goes the Dawgs in 2009. I personally do not have a lot of faith in Joe Cox and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him lose that starting role to either Gray or Murray by years end.
Defensively, I think we’ll be better, but we’ve got a long way to go to be junkyard good.
Given those two factors, I agree with Bradley that it’s entirely possible for UGA to lose 4 games this year. Having said that… I’ll be beyond torqued if we lose to those terrorists on the Flats. Oh, excuse me the trial isn’t over… alleged terrorist!
Cuz
June 3rd, 2009
3:49 pm
Sure it is possible to lose four games. I am more concerned by USC east and Ar-kansas than I am Okie State and Mike the Tiger. And I am not saying that LSU will not have a good team, I just think we win a close one at home.
Baba O'Riley
June 3rd, 2009
3:57 pm
T.O.T- the most classless thing I’ve ever read on a blog.
Phil McCrotch
June 3rd, 2009
4:14 pm
Take Out- You’re a douche! Mark,kick this guy outta here. Disgusting!
Mark Bradley
June 3rd, 2009
5:06 pm
I agree, folks. The icepick reference was over the top. And is now gone.
Gen Neyland
June 3rd, 2009
5:09 pm
Yeah Cuz, it went from ‘earn it’ to ‘durn it’.
Saint Simons
June 3rd, 2009
5:31 pm
Somebody please help me.
I went to Georgia Tech and have my head stuck up my arse.
dawgs2002
June 3rd, 2009
7:17 pm
Jacksonville State is the Bug opener? And the bugs are actually ragging on UGA about its schedule? LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Fellows (dawgs) take a look at the bug 2009 schedule. They should easily finish with one loss and if they don’t then they are bunch of pink underwear wearing Ramble On females.
LOLLOLOLOL still laughing…jacksonville state?! ROTCLOL
Hawkinsville Dawg
June 3rd, 2009
9:38 pm
Mr. Bradley;
The 2009 Bulldog football team reminds me of the 1981 Bulldog team. Both teams lost significant talent the year before. Like the 1981 team, the 2009 team’s strength will be its offensive line. With a strong offensive line, you don’t need the best running back, nor the best quarterback in the league. Please note the 2009 team returns not one, but two big strong offensive lines. The one we started with last year (which suffered many injuries), and the second team line that finished the season. Both lines will be back, are expected to be healthy. Joe Cox will have a better line than Matt Stafford had. I think this year’s team will achieve more than most anticipate.
Hawkinsville Dawg
June 3rd, 2009
9:49 pm
Pardon me Mark, I meant to say the 1984 team, not the 1981 team.
TAKE OUT TEBOW!
June 4th, 2009
11:18 am
Wow talk about people not having a sense of humor.
Fools Gold
June 4th, 2009
12:40 pm
Well at least the mutts wont have to worry about going to the crapital one bowl again. Chickin bowl against Yabba Dabba Dabo’s Clemzon’s Tiggers will be most fitting for the mutts.
OrlandoDawg
June 4th, 2009
1:14 pm
SouthGADawg88 said it the best. If the Dawgs stay healthy, they can run the table. The game is won at the line of scrimmage; and we’ll be strong on both sides of the ball. When Brandon Spikes leveled KM early in the UF game to set the tone, he ran right through where TS plays. That won’t happen this year with TS back. With JO back, the D will be much improved. UF will miss Harvin a ton. I wasn’t impressed with Demps or Rainey in the UGA game. Now, they did shine against other opponents though. I’m just not ready to give UF the title.
Ed
June 4th, 2009
2:36 pm
Let’s hire Gardner-Webb’s Defensive Coordinator, whoever he is.
Hit Man
June 4th, 2009
2:49 pm
Why is it that SEC fans hoop and hollar about how great their conference and teams are, yet their fans make Death Threats to their college team players, like in 2008 for QB Crompton at UT, and who was, Terrence Edwards after dropping pass vs. FL a few years ago?
Talk about “trailer trash.”
GT Legend
June 4th, 2009
3:16 pm
2002: GA 51 GT 7
2003: GA 31 GT 17
2004: GA 19 GT 13
2005: GA 14 GT 7
2006: GA 15 GT 12
2007: GA 31 GT 17
2008: GT 45 GA 42
The 2002-2007 Chan Gailey Era is over. The CPJ Era has begun.
With the primary exception of 2002(Gaileys first year), these are the best games/scores GA can muster, with GT team stuck with Gailey and Reggie Ball(03-06)?? Hah.
CPJ’s teams are gonna lay serious wood on the mutts.
2008 was just a warm up, folks. GA couldnt even handle a bunch of GT Freshmen in 2008 with 24 & 7 playing.
shane#1
June 4th, 2009
5:08 pm
I agree with SouthGaDawg, the D will be better this year with the return of Owens and Washington. A healthy Battle will help, so will that O line which should be able to control the ball and give the D some rest. Four losses is certainly possible with any team, including the Gators. Remember when UT was picked to win the conference and finished 7 and 5? That was the begining of the end for Fulmer.
exNFLplayer
June 5th, 2009
7:59 am
Sure UGA can lose 4. They can also lose 1 or 2. Anything can happen. I can easily see the same case scenario with GT. They could easily lose 5 games. They could lose 3 for sure. And Mark, GT will not win the ACC. They will lose to VT, FSU, and UNC. They are not as good as you think. Huge O line issues. Questionable D front. And the DCs at the above 3 mentioned schools are not stupid. They all have the LSU blueprint. And now that they know to practice without the ball ala Les Miles, well……
exNFLplayer
June 5th, 2009
8:15 am
GTMike, most of your points are very accurate. But your comparison of the ACC to SEC is a little skewed. The ACC won games pitting lower tier teams in the ACC and the SEC won the games pitting top tier against top tier. The ACC can’t buy a BCS Bowl win. The records are not even close in that regard.
Trade School Junkie
June 5th, 2009
10:12 am
In 2008, SI had GT finishing at or near the bottom of the ACC with 3-4 wins at most, and of course, ALL of the major sports media echoed the same non-sense.
On a sunny Saturday last August, I called into 790the Zone and logically stated to Brandon & Woolvy HOW & WHY GT would go 10-2, had a real shot at winning the ACC, and would win in Athens.
I was, of course, resoundingly laughed off the air as “delusional.”
We all know how things turned out, now dont we?
GT won 9 with an almost completely Freshmen roster for most of the games. GT lost a VERY close one to VT, the eventual ACC winner. Only QB Nesbitt going down in 3rd Qtr made the FSU game even close. In fact, here’s EXACTLY what Bowden said on TV after the game: “We simply couldn’t stop them.”
As for UNC game, GT had to play 4 True Freshmen on O-Line the entire second half. That, and a dismal set of TOs was the reason for that loss.
The ONLY reason GT didnt win the ACC was youth, inexperience, and TOs.
O-Line, LBs and Secondary will be MUCH deeper and experinced in 2009.
What “blueprint?” GT’s youth & inexperience were the primary reasons.
Passing Defense was GT’s biggest weakness in 2008, NOT RUN DEFENSE.
D-Line will be young, but very talented. Passing Def will be absolutely LOADED.
So, having been more accurate than SI and ALL sports media by predicting GT to go 10-2 in 2008, I will predict GT going 12-0, and a BCS bid in 2009. I frankly dont see ANYONE in the ACC that can beat GT in 2009. And, if the Dagws couldnt do it with 24 & 7, theyre sure as Hell not going to do with a rookie QB.
GT Nut
June 5th, 2009
10:26 am
The 2009 GTYJ team will be the most loaded team at alomst every position than I ‘ve seen in many years.
I agree, they are the odds-on favorite to win the ACC in my book.
81gt
June 5th, 2009
10:28 am
My favorite quoe cam eanother passionate gt fan:
We dont PASS the Bomb, we RUN the Bomb.
Last year Tech was 4th (or so) in the country in rushinig yards.They will like be near the top again, along with averaging 35+ pts per game.
macrotech
June 5th, 2009
1:07 pm
No Way, your 9:03 a.m. is a well written collection of thoughts that is full of conjecture at best! I’m a HUGE Tech fan and I played football through college! Have YOU ever played? For YOU to get on a blog and write, “nerds who like to hide behind their computer and write on sports blogs” is a joke AND the punchline all rolled up in one! Thank you for the moment of confession….you little nerd you! ;0)
truth-serum
June 5th, 2009
2:47 pm
Mark Richt is!! What a loser!! Ive been a Georgia fan all my life. Im tired of seeing Richt get a top five recruiting class every year for 9 or 10 years and not compete for a National Title or backing in to the sec champ game. DUDE a top 5 recruiting class for ten years and nothing to show for it. WHAT A Loser. I dont think I can get up for the Dogs any more. They became a launch pad for the pros….FIRE RICHT!!
VA Dawg
June 5th, 2009
5:17 pm
I like 9-3 as a projection for the Dawgs this year. Oklahoma State and Florida will be the toughest and therefore most likely losses. (Not that I’m writing those off.) I think LSU and Tech are very winnable, although I could see us slipping up once elsewhere, say at Vandy or even in Knoxville.
dan
June 5th, 2009
11:00 pm
Oklahoma State is what will set the town for this season. If the Dawgs got out there and blow them out, they could be a surprise team and win 10 games and possibly a dark horse to make to the SEC Title. You may laugh at that but remember, UGA was predicted to be 3rd or 4th in the East in 2005. When UGA stomped Boise State in 2005, that set the tone for that season( there were some experts that predicted an upset by Boise). But if they lose to the Cowboys, it will be a very bi-polar season like in 2006 where they’ll lose to a team like Vanderbilt and blowout a good team like Auburn, finishing 9-4.
Camden Mark
June 6th, 2009
8:40 pm
Looking at this years team with as little bias as I can compared to last season’s team I think the Dawgs are in a alot better shape,heres why.
1) The foundation of every team is always the O-line.last 08 line was young and injury depleted.09 is well seasoned and strong with 3-4 NFL calibar players.
2)Love Stafford but he really needs to mature and learn to make better decsions,Cox is mature and will be a better collage QB than Matthew.
3)The wildcard is we must get alot better production from the defense and I think we will,Coach M’s job is on the line and the inside of D-line should be real good.
The flashy star guys get all the attention (Knowshone,Stafford) but games are won or lost by those big ugly guys in the trenchs and this years uglies look alot better and healthy.
No way Georgia can lose four games? Sure about that? | Mark Bradley | Georgia Today
June 7th, 2009
8:40 pm
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