Just a few notes.......

In a pre-season post, I listed 7 major things that this team needed to do to be successful. It's late in the season now and I have added comments to the 7 things based on our results. Sure, there are other factors, but these are my list of the most important. I'll try to keep'em short.

(1) Incorporate the running game in the shotgun formation. CMR ran the ball out of this formation in his early years. I love the i- formation and it should be our basic formation. However, if we sprinkle the running game with the shotgun formation, it will keep the opponent (UT and USC come to mind) from loading up the box to stuff the run. Just go back 10 years or so to the UF vs FSU national title game to see the effect that moving the QB to the shotgun can have. Call it "Plan B" when the original gameplan just isn't working.

(2) Matt Stafford - SET YOUR FEET. Few qb's throw as crisp as Matt when he has good footwork. However, in recent games, the picks have been results of floaters thrown off the back foot. Bobo could help alot when Matt is out of rythym (UK) by using medium range passes, short drops, and screens when the deep ball is not working for the day. Get him in rythym, then throw the long ball. Mix up down & distance calls to give him a chance.

(3) Never run a gimmick play when the margin is one possesion. The potential to let the other team take the lead or take us out of a scoring chance is not worth the risk. It seems that our gimmick plays have backfired the majority of times and it crushes our momentum.

(4) If it ain't broke, don't fix it......If Knowshon is ripping up the D, give him the ball. Don't get cute. Don't bring in TB. On the flip side, if Matt's hot, throw the ball early and often.

(5) Beware the fake punt. Ok, it's been a non-issue so far this year, but I only have to go back 2 years (UF and W VA) to find two fake punts that crushed us.

(6) ALWAYS rush the passer with at least 4. ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS. This year, the only game this has become an issue in was BAMA. In general, if you give a QB 7 seconds to throw the ball, he will find somebody open. It's ok to back off our db's in prevent, but we have to put at least marginal pressure on the qb.

(7) Can we match our pre-game planning with our half-time adjustments? Once again, whether by our half-time adjustments or conditioning, our second half scoring margin is awesome. Does the UF celebration count as pre-game planning? What about the blackout?

For clarity's sake.......I am not bashing our coaching staff or our players. Coach Dooley's best 7 year stretch (1980-1986) netted 65 wins.

Wally Butts (1941-1947) 60 wins.

CMR 72 and hopefully counting.

Outside the Herschel years, our team is enjoying unprecedented success, and Coach Richt has already climbed to the top of my all-time UGA coaching list. I think the competition is tougher now, and CMR doesn't have the single most dominating player ever to play college football to pad his numbers. Here's hoping he sticks around another 20 years or so.