5 reasons the Georgia Bulldogs are better off than you think
Aaron Murray has been pretty darn good. (AP photo)
1. A.J. Green returns this week. Rule of thumb: Having your best player in the lineup tends to help.
2. The Bulldogs shouldn’t lose again until the day before Halloween, if then. The next four games: At Colorado, Tennessee in Athens, Vanderbilt in Athens, at Kentucky. The first three shouldn’t be much trouble, and surely Kentucky can’t beat Georgia two years running. (I mean, could it?) There should be much momentum-building done before UGA heads for Jacksonville, and who knows how good Florida is?
3. Aaron Murray looks legit. Even behind an offensive line that hasn’t blocked a lick, the redshirt freshman quarterback hasn’t been overwhelmed. He has five touchdown passes against two interceptions, and he has completed 61 percent of his passes. And now he gets to throw to A.J. Green.
4. The defense is better. That’s still not to say it’s good, but it’s better. Last season the Bulldogs yielded 78 points in victories over South Carolina and Arkansas. This year it yielded 48 against those two teams. Yeah, it lost both games this time, but whaddaya want?
5. This remains a very talented team. Even if it’s being undercoached on offense, talent cannot be kept down forever. Green will make plays that have gone unmade so far. Washaun Ealey won’t always fumble into the end zone. Orson Charles will do something. I’m not saying Georgia’s going to win the SEC East, and even my prediction of 9-3 seems a bit ambitious, but this team will not — repeat, not — finish 6-6. It’s too good for that.
Equal time (sort of): 5 reasons Georgia Tech is worse off than you might think.
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458 comments Add your comment
1eyedJack
September 30th, 2010
12:03 pm
The Dawgs will get exponentially better…starting this week. With AJ back it changes the whole dynamic of the offense. He is the “star” of this team. The offense has been designed around him. They practiced through the spring and fall with the intention of him being there. The gameplan will be much easier to design now that he is there. Having said that, I’m not too sure if he can tackle.
Dawgdad (The Original)
September 30th, 2010
12:05 pm
I guess I’m the only one who frets over special teams, but for the last five or six years we have had the worst special teams in the country, IMO. We have great kickers, but there seems to be little emphasis or coaching on special teams. Every week we watch Logan Gray fail catch ball after ball inside the 15 yd line. We watch numbskulls return balls from deep in the end zone, as their teammates wave frantically for them to down the ball. Our punt return team can’t decide whether to go for the block or the return, so they seem to stand around and watch.
The defense seems to be getting better although terribly susceptible to runs and passes up the middle. The offense has a mobile quarterback but no plays to take advantage of that, no rollouts or moving pockets, no option plays, etc. But, special teams are pathetic. Don’t know why we can’t get a volunteer high school coach to come in and coach special teams.
Douglas
September 30th, 2010
12:05 pm
Don’t they drug test their employees at AJC? Because I want to know what you have been smoking Mark. What do I want? A new coaching staff.
DawgDad
September 30th, 2010
12:05 pm
The factor omitted is as the losses mount so does the inspiration to play. There will be no big bowl game. Many of the top players will start focusing on their NFL careers and play out the string in an individualistic fashion. Confidence in coaches, teammates, and the program will wane. Expectation of the next bad thing to happen sets in.
Sure they lost some close and “winnable” games, but they are 0-3 for a reason – the top players are playing very poorly (or not at all) and the coaches did not have the team prepared.
Douglas
September 30th, 2010
12:05 pm
Enter your comments here
schmeckdawg
September 30th, 2010
12:07 pm
For everybody ragging on Mark Bradley and The DAWGS, please keep this in mind, these other schools that we are playing have guys with scholarships also. It is always darkest before the dawn. The DAWGS will be fine!!!!
In the immortal words of the GREAT Larry Munson, “Hunker Down One More Time!”
Go DAWGS!!!!!!!!!!!
Think
September 30th, 2010
12:07 pm
@sourgrapes. What a stupid comment and article. UGA is #11 in all time NCAA Div 1 wins. What program doesn’t have great players that make programs great runs? At a 10 game per year win average happening under Richt for the last 10 years – this is a our best run…..it’s not even close.
SadDawg
September 30th, 2010
12:08 pm
UGA’s and Tech’s defenses are examples of players struggling in a new defense. Bama’s D struggled in Saban’s first year of change to the 3-4. In his second year at Bama, he offered Grantham the DC job there, so we have the right guy. Just takes a year.
If UGA offense would have scored more than 6 and 12 points against SC and MS, we would be 3-1.
The problem is NOT the D.
The problem is the predictable Richt/Bobo offense.
Dawgdad (The Original)
September 30th, 2010
12:09 pm
Sourgrapes: The Ohio State, gimme a break, they get beat or whipped badly everytime they leave the weak Big 10,11,12, whatever they called that sorry assortment. I think Georgia handled them easily the last time we met them in one of those middle FL bowls. They will get their butts kicked again this year in the BCS.
Ralph
September 30th, 2010
12:12 pm
Recruiting is not a problem for thUGA. Thugs and lowlifes all over the southeast are clamoring to gang-bang in Athens where the coaches, alumni and trailer park fans have no problem with it. No more competition from the FSU criminoles now that Bobby Bowden is gone – all left to his protege Richt.
If it just weren’t for those nasty Athens police and football flag throwing officials, it would be open season.
poopdawg
September 30th, 2010
12:13 pm
Support the program!! I have to disagree with you on that. It’s a blog not an ESPN interview. Sorry maybe i should have sent you a letter. Quit being so dang sensitive.
Dawg for dinner
September 30th, 2010
12:14 pm
Wowsers, a lot of optomistic fans here actually buying into this train of thought. Face it, the dawgs stink. The program stinks, the coaching stinks and apparently the fan base does too. I can almost feel bad for you people but then I get sick to my stomach for even thinking that way. Getting your hopes up over 1, count it, 1 single player coming back from suspension. Your boy might be the best WR in the country but if your o-line can’t block a pass rush, it doesn’t matter if you have 4 clones of that player on the field. Face it, 5-7 is a reality for your team this year and your beloved coach will still be there next year.
Russ, the Temporary Mascot
September 30th, 2010
12:14 pm
Well, for a time I could not hunker down. I don’t know if you have seen how I am built but I am already close to the ground. Hunkering is not natural for a little dog like me. I would like to see some hunkering from the players, though, and maybe a coach or two or three. I said it weeks and weeks ago, Coach Grantham will be running things here pretty soon. He probably can hunker down with the best of them if he has doughnuts.
poopdawg
September 30th, 2010
12:15 pm
Ralph you might want to get some help for those toenails.
Think
September 30th, 2010
12:16 pm
@Ralph, I knew you were not a fan to begin with. Get lost, imposter.
The Ghost of Wally Butts
September 30th, 2010
12:16 pm
Yee Haw….our arrests outnumber our wins…and Bradley has us winning like crazy. Okee Dokee.
Given the sideline dancing we’ve seen while we are getting our butts kicked this year, the non-suspended players ought to really get busy with some Sturdivant-style dance moves once we get ahead in ball games.
If you asked me to bet a single penny that UGA will have 4 wins and 0 arrests between now and Jax, I’d keep my penny in pocket thank you very much.
No 2 a days= no win a game
September 30th, 2010
12:16 pm
Mark they have once again bit hook line and sinker. You try slamming UGA and they get riled up and give you 600 hits on your blog. That gets tired, so now you build up the idiot fans. GEORGIA IS NOT RELEVANT IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL AND HAS NOT BEEN SINCE JAN KEMP GOT THROUGH WITH YOU!
The ball is in motion one way or other
September 30th, 2010
12:18 pm
The influential $$$ alumni make the decsions along with AD McGarity and of course, Pres Adams. That ball is ready in motion. There simply should not have been the record of 3 losses so far and the UGA alumni have seen enough.
Change is coming. Now …….it could be a forced directive either publically or privately to CMR to
” dump all of your O position coaches, including Bobo and get some O coaches in here that can devise a winning scheme, Coach. You have one more year.” That could be scenario # 1 barring a complete UGA collapse with say, only two more wins. If that happens ………….richt is gone one hour after the GT game. Period.
If that happnes ( complete collapse ) UGA can go out and find a ton of big time coaches either from the NFL or NCAA ranks. Reason we could not find a d co ordiinator is obvious now ………. that Richt in 2010 would be in trouble. Much, much easier to find a big time coach because, class “money talks and smoke walks.”
UGA will be fulloy recovered by 2011 and 2012. Then, Murray will only be a junior QB with two blue chip Qbs in the wings. TG should by then have HIS D men and ealey will be in prison and AJ will be bouncing checks in the NFL and broke already.
Go Dogs.
UGA man, class of 71 & 73
Booby's booger finger
September 30th, 2010
12:18 pm
MB’s kiss of death, remember the “reasons” the Braves were winning the East.
JMac12003
September 30th, 2010
12:20 pm
Tried to tell you people, but no one would listen. Everyone has all those dreams of 10-2, 11-1, and the most absurd,12-0. I said that 8-4 would be a GREAT season, but I got blasted for my opinion. Now it looks like more people have have seen things my way, and in all honestly, 7-5 might be a great season. I can see POSSIBLE losses to KTY, FLORIDA, AUBURN and GT. But, if that happens, take heart, the NCAA has a plan to let 5-7 teams into a bowl this season. That might be the only way you see a bowl game this season for UGA.
Russ, the Temporary Mascot
September 30th, 2010
12:20 pm
The a$$ painting happened at the bowl game and in my heart I believe Coach Richt knew about it and approved. Still, he is my boss and I try to be loyal. He’s having a rough time right now and he says it might get worse. Let’s hope not. I cannot imagine him having any more stress right now with the way his hair is falling out in the back. Combing it over is not going to work forever. He might try wearing a cap like Coach Grantham. To stay on Grantham’s good side I bought him a Krispy Kreme cap. Watch for it on Saturday.
Think
September 30th, 2010
12:21 pm
@Ball in Motion……get a life.
Attn: Ralph
September 30th, 2010
12:23 pm
You seem to know all about thugs, gang bangers and trailer parks. Um, ah, have you ever even attended a college class for one day?
Have you ever been to Athens, Ga? I’ll bet that you are some 20 year old kid banging away on mom’s PC AT HOME while she supports you, as you sip big urange and chomp nachos and weigh around 286 and 5′6″ tall.
An obamaron???
Go Dogs.
Dawg37
September 30th, 2010
12:23 pm
This whole hurt thing starts with Mississippi State. It has nothing to do with the loss to S.C. or Arkansas. I think we can handle those, but the loss to Mississippi State kinda buts the trend over the past few years into perspective – losing to Kentucky? Vanderbilt? Ok State? It’s not just the losing. It’s how we have been losing. I am trying to be as optimistic as you Bradley but it is difficult. I agree our defense is better. I don’t mind the blown coverages, the lack of pressure. I realize that these kids are player a different scheme and in different positions but neither of those excuses have anything to do with getting put on your a**, neither have anyting to do with the missed tackles. This team just seems to lack more of what it has been lacking the past two seasons. What is scary is so many people are relying on A.J. Green to get up back on track. Guess what? He won’t be here next year. Who will step up then?
DawgSqueeze
September 30th, 2010
12:23 pm
I have enjoyed my past 3 weekends. UGA loses on Saturday, then get to read all the UGA fans whine on Sunday. Please don’t take it away, it has been too much fun.
bamaguy
September 30th, 2010
12:23 pm
I agree with you Mark. As an Alabama alumnus living in the heart of Bulldog Country I puzzled at how often the UAG fan base goes into panic mode. UGA was not blown out (like Texas) in any of those games and held on to the end in the game with AK that Alabama had to rally from behind to beat. I also think UGA will beat someone they are not supposed to (FL or AUB).
PreyDawg
September 30th, 2010
12:24 pm
*************BLOG QUESTION**************
Mark, Of all the area teams, baseball, football, college or pro…which stories generate the most blog traffic. I am guessing the DAWGS. Am I right? Just curious.
Pitbull
September 30th, 2010
12:25 pm
I love my Bulldogs and support CMR, but every team has a down year now and then – and I really do not think we can know what to expect from this year’s team on a week to week basis.
And I am concerned that we seem to have been on a downward spiral for the previous 2 years.
I mean, what kind of quality team loses to Georgia Tech (2008) and to Kentucky (2009)?
We were robbed by the ref against LSU last year and the Big 12 refs were definitely looking out for OK State.
5 reasons Georgia Tech is even worse off than you'd think | Mark Bradley
September 30th, 2010
12:26 pm
[...] Equal time (sort of): 5 reasons the Georgia Bulldogs are better than you’d think. [...]
saban
September 30th, 2010
12:27 pm
Colorado wins by 30.
AJ makes 50 thouand selling jersies at halftime. Apologizes to Georgia fans. Says he just went nuts.
Blackberry Cobbler
September 30th, 2010
12:27 pm
I disagree entirely.
Plainly put, it’s now quite obvious that the recuiting and the talent on this team is greatly overrated on both sides of the ball.
DawgSqueeze
September 30th, 2010
12:28 pm
Pitbull, are you still crying about the LSU game? Excuses, excuses, excuses…….
David Granger
September 30th, 2010
12:29 pm
Hope you’re right, Mark. But going into the Arky, USC, and MSU stretch, I would have bet that we would win at least two of those games.
Addressing your respective points:
1. AJ being back is sure to help, but he’ll be rusty…and I hope the team doesn’t over-rate what his presence will do. (And that’s a matter of coaching, which is our weak point.)
2. I agree, though there’s a big difference between “Shouldn’t” and “Won’t”.
3. Spot-on correct here. Murray is legit, and I hope he’ll be allowed to BE a damn QB, and that they’ll call plays accordingly. Sometimes Richt (and Bobo) get scared and run a “no risks” offense, like you couldn’t pull a needle out of their butt-holes with a caterpillar tractor.
4. Yep. Better, but not good. We still make some stupid defensive calls, based on the circumstances. Two Arky TD’s and a key first down came against us when we were blitzing…and that’s been killing us for YEARS. We must telegraph it or something.
5. Coach Richt has always been a good recruiter, and I guess that’s the most important ability to have.
Russ, the Temporary Mascot
September 30th, 2010
12:29 pm
In an effort to keep the mascot job I have enrolled in classes at UGA. Some of the football players are in my class and they have accepted me with open arms. I help them with their homework and we are getting along splendidly. Don’t be surprised if I show up Saturday with some tattoos.
SadDawg
September 30th, 2010
12:31 pm
So, Sourgrapes, being in the National Title hunt in 02, 05, and 07 was our imagination. UGA has won as many BCS Bowls at the ENTIRE ACC, you dufus.
steve
September 30th, 2010
12:32 pm
I blame Russ. What is his record anyway? When are they going to get a new UGA?
Mark Bradley
September 30th, 2010
12:32 pm
David, the only result that surprised me was Mississippi State. And that really was a shock.
Still@theBAR
September 30th, 2010
12:32 pm
Just because AJ is back if I were Colorado I would still do what all the other Defenses have done. BLITZ Murry and Murry still can’t throw a great pass. Force Murry to get CRAZY and run so the Buffs can get some good hits on him. AJ will not score 3 TDs. UGA has had problems scoring all season and AJ will not make that big a difference.
2011 recruiting class
September 30th, 2010
12:33 pm
Dream Team is the perfect slogan, it matches the fan base.
Mark Bradley
September 30th, 2010
12:34 pm
2 reasons for this column.
1. I need page views
2. I need access to Mark Richt and the UGA staff.
Still@theBAR
September 30th, 2010
12:35 pm
Russ was seen at the Autozone trying to buy a gallon of antifreeze JUST IN CASE this weekend doesn’t workout so well. The new UGA VIII has tried to remove his name from consideration for the job. He even was seen rollinf in an oil spot trying to change his color so he wouldn’t have to do the job.
dogfish
September 30th, 2010
12:35 pm
I agree we have talent and will not remain in the cellar of the SEC , but the coaching of the offensive line, running backs and wide recievers is not going to get better unless coaching changes are made. Richt won’t fire anybody unless he is made to do so. Until then, look for us to remain middle of the pack in the SEC.
The Truth is...
September 30th, 2010
12:36 pm
I was one of the fans that after the Missippi St. Game said Coach Richt needs to be fired but then I read an article on the SI website and came to this reality. If we fire CMR we will be in a rebuilding year for the next 5 years or so because there are no proven head coaches out there that can build this program up quick enough to the fans liking. Some say Will Muschamp or Kirby Smart but neither has been head coach and neither have the Name to bring in Big recruits until they start winning so unless we bring in a Saban or Mack Brown we should not fire CMR because he gives us our best chance to win an SEC Championship and National Championship. Of course if CMR is fired we will be a tennessee for years to come. I don’t know about you but I’d prefer to stick with Coach Richt, just saying…
David
September 30th, 2010
12:37 pm
I am not sure how you could have reached the conclusions that you have. I have seen NOTHING that makes me think this team isn’t capable of losing any of its games, with the exception of Idaho State. Having said this, I think the team could turn it around and win most of their games, but losses are just as likely based on what I’ve seen. Awfully optimistic Mark.
Gator Man
September 30th, 2010
12:39 pm
This why UGA standards are low, dumb crap like Mark Bradley, Florida news people would never say stupid things like this, the whole program would be under fire everyday.
In Florida Mark Richt and his crew would have been fired, but you below standards media and UGA keep living in the past for 1980 UGA.
Keep Coach Richt
September 30th, 2010
12:39 pm
And Coach Richt will be around to see it
http://thesportsdebates.com/2010/09/29/the-fire-mark-richt-debate-verdict/
Keep dreaming
September 30th, 2010
12:40 pm
Keep dreaming MB, UGA will be lucky to beat Colorado this week, with or without AJ Green. One wide receiver does not a team make. No strength, no game plan, no running attack, no blocking, turnovers and no defense. Hmmm, sounds like a really good team.
Mel
September 30th, 2010
12:40 pm
So, “don’t give up on UGA” but Tech is “not so talented”? I think it’s about time UGA takes you off their payroll, Bradley.
Harry Beaver
September 30th, 2010
12:42 pm
This UGA team will lose one game in the next 4 weeks, Florida, Auburn, and most likely GT.
Face it. 7-5 is a pipe dream. 6-6 is possible. 5-7 is VERY likely.
Good luck next season.
R-Dawg
September 30th, 2010
12:42 pm
Until the players earn it the G must come off the helmet. The 0-3 start is not all coaching. I see no heart out on the field. The days of Thomas Davis, Greg Blue are gone.