Phil Steele: Georgia Bulldogs ‘could very well run the table’ this year
If you missed it, you’ll want to hear what college football analyst/publisher Phil Steele said when asked on ESPN to name an off-the-radar team that could have a big season.
He initially mentioned Oklahoma, his pick to win the 2010 national title despite losing five games last season.
And then he mentioned someone else:
“If I was going to pick another one out of the stack there,” Steele said Friday on ESPN’s College Football Live, “I would have to say the Georgia Bulldogs. I think they’ve got a shot of even winning the SEC East and could very well run the table.”
Wow. Whoa. Run the table?
Steele doesn’t go so far as to predict the Bulldogs will do it, mind you. In fact, he has them No. 19 in his preseason rankings. But I’m pretty sure he’s the first to utter on national TV the possibility of an undefeated season for the 2010 Dogs.
Phil Steele’s College Football Preview magazine is always packed with information. Here are a few morsels pulled from his two-page preview of Georgia in this year’s edition (the abbreviations are his way of conserving space to cram in more info):
- “The 17 total QB int [last season] were the most at UGA since 1984.”
- “Surprisingly heading into ‘07 UGA had just one 1,000 yd back since ‘92!”
- “UGA had a pair of 100 yd rushers vs GT (Ealey and King) but just three 100 yd efforts all year and I look for significant improvement.”
- “Figgins returns and Green is back to full health making UGA my #2 receiving corps in the NCAA.”
- “The [offensive line] unit has an amazing 155 career starts (counting Justin Anderson who moved to the DL in spg) which is #1 in the FBS (my #1 OL unit).”
- “Even with the loss of their star [linebacker], provided this unit stays healthier, it should be stronger.”
- “This [defensive backfield] is a less exp’d unit and my biggest concern on the 2010 team.”
Interesting stuff once again, Phil Steele.
Also:
Click here for our latest UGA notebook, with items on new up-close basketball seats, fretting the Gators and the future of Foley Field.
And please follow @ajcuga on Twitter for Bulldogs news and notes.
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537 comments Add your comment
One, two, free, fo, fi, them der Gator don't take no jive!
May 31st, 2010
2:23 pm
SEC Rox,
If you look at recruting services then you’d also see some pretty glowing articles about Joe Cox, Logan Grey, Zach Mettenberger etc.
Get the point? Once again, let the kid play a few college games before we annoint the next top draft selection.
He may be great.
He may be sitting on the bench by the end of the season.
No one knows…..including you.
Not just no...
May 31st, 2010
2:24 pm
but HELL no
Urban Meyer
May 31st, 2010
2:28 pm
Colt McCoy may be 6:0 tall. At the Heisman awards ceremony he was standing next to Tebow and was at least 3 inches shorter than Tebow. What’s amazing about that was that Sam Bradford is a legit 6:5 in that he stood two solid inches taller than Tebow.
http://whereballmeetsfoot.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/heisman-hopefuls.jpg
DAWG H8TER
May 31st, 2010
2:30 pm
IF YOU CAN READ THIS, YOU’RE NOT A JAWJA RECRUIT.
Urban Meyer
May 31st, 2010
2:31 pm
Here’s another good shot of Tebow and McCoy standing next to each other. It’s pretty obvious McCoy and Murray share a similar skill set and it’s also obvious that Murray is more like 5:10-5:11.
http://assets.espn.go.com/media/motion/2009/1212/dm_091212_ncf_tebow_mccoy_funny_feature.jpg
bill
May 31st, 2010
2:33 pm
I’m a proud UGA grad, and staunch supporter of the football program, but this delusional “win every game” talk that happens during the lull between spring football and summer practice is getting old. Let’s see if we can actually beat the Gators more than occasionally before starting this NC talk! For my UF friends who only remember game history since 1991, Georgia actually won this game more than they lost it — whatever your feelings about CVD, he could beat the hated Gators!
SEC Rox
May 31st, 2010
2:33 pm
Winning the Elie 11 MVP puts Murray in rare company, Stafford, Sanchez. to not see how great this QB will be is to live in denial.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/recruiting/football/news/story?id=3504655
DAWG H8TER
May 31st, 2010
2:34 pm
As Big Jim, my last intelligent comment wasn’t posted. Must I “sound” stupid like an SEC athlete to be a part of this game?
SEC Rox
May 31st, 2010
2:37 pm
Didn’t Colt McCoy throw for over 12,000 yards? Lot more than Tebow.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/player/profile?playerId=175772
DAWG H8TER
May 31st, 2010
2:39 pm
Need more people like Bill, realists who don’t sacrifice the integrity of the institution for a win at
all cost attitude. Never had anything against UGA, but don’t like how folks accept a kid who
shouldn’t be on campus as an athlete,student, or janitor!!!
Manny
May 31st, 2010
2:42 pm
I think it’s the O-Line, Green, Ealey that has people prasing Georgia, not just Arron Murray, yes, he’ll likely finish as the best to ever play at Georgia, but the rest of the offense is what people are talking about, especially the most experienced O-Line in the nation, 155 career starts.
The O-Line only gave up 12 sacks, and averaged over 240 yards rushing per game over the last 5 games. #1 unit in the country.
One, two, free, fo, fi, them der Gator don't take no jive!
May 31st, 2010
2:43 pm
SEC Rox,
I give up. Go ahead and drink it.
Just hope for your sake it wasn’t prepared by James Jones.
GT3O
May 31st, 2010
2:43 pm
…..am I supposed to laugh? Wait hold on…
“UGA has a chance to go undefeated in (insert year)” Trademarked since 1980…
DAWG H8TER
May 31st, 2010
2:51 pm
Why didn’t Mark Richt and Mike Bobo get fired last year? Wasn’t the offense weak as hell?! Maybe Willie Martinez doesn’t have a deep enough southern drawl. When an offense sputters like Jawja did,
I thought the OC and HC got run the hell off!! You guys got a recruiter but not a coach.
Steve SUPERIOR + Jawja talent = BCS CHAMPS. M. Richt + Jawja Talent = OVERRATED.
Ellison
May 31st, 2010
2:55 pm
Florida fans are drinking the Gatorade if they think this team will be better than last year’s without Strong, Tebow, Hernandez, Cooper, and 9 NFL players. Go ahead, believe the Meyer spin if you want, Meyer has a pretty bad year in the SEC, pretty much half the time.
LOL...
May 31st, 2010
2:58 pm
No… the Dawgs wont run the table… they will lose 4 games this year…
What a hilarious question to ask… LOL
Coach Small Johnson
May 31st, 2010
2:59 pm
I would love to believe it but our offensive play calling has been too conservative to almost predictable.
We can’t beat FL because this coaching staff doesn’t take the game seriously
Coach Small Johnson
May 31st, 2010
3:02 pm
GT30
Win an outright championship for once instead of tying with other teams
UPI blah ha ha ha haha ha hahahaha’
whats a UPI chumpionship who did TECH pay to get that
kb
May 31st, 2010
3:03 pm
Tech trash talking, 15 wins in 50 years, 5 in the last 20 , 1-8 , fresh off the annual ass whipping. Keep talking UGA will keep winning.
DoubleDownDawgFan
May 31st, 2010
3:04 pm
UPI is Coach’s Poll.
The Pups will lose 5 this year.
Ole Geezer
May 31st, 2010
3:05 pm
Any of you guys around back in 79? Georgia went 6-7 that year. Pretty much everybody went with concensus and said 1980 would be a bad year for Georgia. They said you just don’t go from 6-7 to 12-0 in 1 year, the jump is too big, the improvement is not realisitic.
They were wrong. 12-0, National Champs.
The key to 1980 was the O-Line and a great running back. The O-Line has over 150 games under em’ and Ealey ran the ball about as well as any back has ran the ball at Georgia at almost 6 yards a pop.
Sometimes the cynics are wrong, like 1980.
Coach Small Johnson
May 31st, 2010
3:15 pm
Remember that too
The difference is we dont have a coach who can beat FL
Robert
May 31st, 2010
3:18 pm
I love it!! There is nothing finer than to see the Dawg fans broken hearted again. They must hold the record for totally unfounded optomism.
snapshot
May 31st, 2010
3:19 pm
mutt-fan can run to the beer store.
Low ride
May 31st, 2010
3:22 pm
You can’t win a National Championship with a Freshman QB, right?
Ask Kosar or Holieway who both did it.
It appened 2x, in a 3 year span.
Once Kosar dispelled the myth, Holieway put it to bed.
Me
May 31st, 2010
3:24 pm
I sure know how to “handle a whopper”, if you know what I mean
Coach Small Johnson
May 31st, 2010
3:24 pm
Hey at least people talk about us and believe we can
unlike Tech, the only thing sports writers believe the Janitorial Engineers can fix is a toilet
Ole Geezer
May 31st, 2010
3:27 pm
Back in 79′, Georgia went 6-5.
Starting in 1980, Georgia didn’t lose another SEC game for the next 3 season in a row. Went 18-0 in the SEC from 1981-1983.
Went 5-1 in 1984.
So went 23-1 over the 4 years, 1981-1984 in the SEC after going 6-5.
Sound familiar?
Me
May 31st, 2010
3:27 pm
Comparing Murray to Brees reminds me every year when I watch the high school basketball McDonalds All American game and they’re comparing some high school kid to Michael Jordan. And they’ve been doing that every year for 15 years. So far, I haven’t seen another Jordan. Total hyperbole but it sure sounds good on T.V.
g8trb8
May 31st, 2010
3:32 pm
this article is absurd….dawgs will be lucky to get past colorado
Sco Mo
May 31st, 2010
3:33 pm
Scoring margin is where it’s at.
1980 National Championship team was +17 scoring margin. 28 a game on offense, and 11 points a game on defense.
Me
May 31st, 2010
3:34 pm
Oh wait, maybe I’m wrong. I guess if the know all tell all of QB talent Colt McCoy says he’s great then it must be so. (What???!!!) But I think he’s better get in line behind Mel Kiper Jr. first, and I sure hope he’s more accurate in his predictions than THAT guy! Hello Jimmy Clausen, Mr 1st rounder! Oh yeah, and Tebow a second/third round pick.
SOOHSO
May 31st, 2010
3:36 pm
Really, Murray is only 5′ 11″. Really.
Me
May 31st, 2010
3:36 pm
Ole Geezer…so your the one who stole my DeLorean!
Me
May 31st, 2010
3:37 pm
you’re…
BIG Nick
May 31st, 2010
3:37 pm
UGA couldn’t beat Florida’s women’s football team….
Big L
May 31st, 2010
3:39 pm
One…….two,three,four,five. Them gaytor….don’t take no jive. Go Gaytor.
Big L
May 31st, 2010
3:44 pm
Coach Richt needs t develo a little Woody Hayes about him. You ain’t gotta hate the Floriduh Gaytors, just their guts.
Coach Small Johnson
May 31st, 2010
3:45 pm
Here is my prediction
If Murry looks like he did in the G-day game
5 losses are a coming
MtM
May 31st, 2010
3:47 pm
MtM = Murray the midget ! Heisman winner 2010…..
Low ride
May 31st, 2010
3:48 pm
Kosar was a red-shirt freshman coming off a bad year at Miami. Kosar had won Parade All American coming out of High School, highly skilled.
Miami’s coach promised the city a National Championship. He believed this was the year. Miami’s coach was trying to turn the college into QBU, like Penn St. had turned Penn St into LBU.
What happened in 1983?
Kosar threw for about 200 yards a game, completed 61% of his passes, and 15 td’s. He threw for 300 yards and 2 td’s in the Natl Championship and won the game against Nebraska 31-30.
Murray also won Parade All-American, was also red-shirted, will also start all 12 games, and will also come on after a bad season where expectations are low nationally, but through the roof high locally.
Miami’s coach promised a National Championship, when no one really believed him, and in 1983, with a red-shirt freshman QB, he delivered.
Coach Small Johnson
May 31st, 2010
3:50 pm
Richt needs to develop something against FL
or else donate a $1million dollars of his salary if he loses to them to the girls softball team they know how to win
Phil Steele
May 31st, 2010
3:50 pm
I smoke crack….
Murray the midget
May 31st, 2010
3:53 pm
Didn’t you UGA fans say that Tebow kid wasn’t no quarterback too ? I haven’t played in a real game since I was in high school. Keep drinking plenty of Koolaid guys.
Paul "ManBoobs" Johnson
May 31st, 2010
3:57 pm
Do we have any pharmacist on the blog today? Specifically, I need some insights on ointments? The twins are chafing under my new sports bra and I need something to ease the pain. Needs help!
Kool Aid Drinkers Club
May 31st, 2010
3:58 pm
Remember dont mix Rolaids with Kool aid. Dawg fans will need Rolaids in Cola. this fall playing the chickens . Bank on it!
Reptillicide
May 31st, 2010
4:00 pm
Haters gonna hate.
Every day I thank God that I chose UGA and every day get to enjoy the pleasures of listening to these idiot Techies consuming their own children because they’ll never be on our level.
SOOHSO
May 31st, 2010
4:04 pm
#200rd
RxDawg
May 31st, 2010
4:04 pm
You know, I heard an interview with him (Steele) last week on ESPN. He has Oklahoma ranked #1, over Bama at #3. The majority of the interview was about that, however towards the end the ESPN crew asked him who was the sleeper of the year, off everyone’s radar. He answered the Georgia Bulldogs. I about choked on my drink since there had been absolutely zero talk about UGA on the show all year. Well, other than a mention of AJ Green here and there but I digress..
We have a solid team, but we have a couple of HUGE question marks on the team. And it’s how those questions are answered that will make our season.
Manny
May 31st, 2010
4:05 pm
Hutson Mason or Gray will likely be to the QB after the 1st 2 or 3 games. Murray’s a gunslinger who will throw too many interceptions, and Richt will have to go to someone else to try and stop the Joe Cox season from happening. Not worried about the QB position. Between Murray, Mason, and Gray, 2 Elite 11 QB’s & a Parade All American, we can find someone to manage the game without taking too many risks.