Things have been a wee bit hectic the last several days, so I've gotta do the "short & sweet" post.
Last week I went through my list of the OOC teams that I'd most like to schedule a home & home with. I picked out some traditional powerhouses that we rarely play, or in one instance, have never played.
Check out my picks here, then check out the poll over there somewhere>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Pick a couple of your faves and maybe we'll get an idea of where the dawgnation stands on this issue.
As always, comments are welcome.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Attention to Detail
It's the little things that make a difference between average, good, and excellent.
I heard something during yesterday's radio broadcast that may have not mean alot to some, but it caught my attention.
Loren Smith mentioned a tour of the locker room with some of the members of the 1958 SEC champ Bulldog squad. He happened to be near Tommy Paris, #22 on that team when he walked up to Richard Samuel's locker.
I don't know when CMR did this, or where he got the idea, but Loren credits Richt for putting every UGA letterman's name on the locker of his respective number. So when Mr. Paris, who has to be in his 70's now, looked at Samuel's locker, he had an emotional moment when he saw "Tommy Paris #22".
That might not seem like much to some, but it obviously means alot to everyone who's put on the Red & Black. It gives today's players a link to the past and certainly links the past players to the present.
Just one of the many reasons that make me realize the program is in good hands.
I heard something during yesterday's radio broadcast that may have not mean alot to some, but it caught my attention.
Loren Smith mentioned a tour of the locker room with some of the members of the 1958 SEC champ Bulldog squad. He happened to be near Tommy Paris, #22 on that team when he walked up to Richard Samuel's locker.
I don't know when CMR did this, or where he got the idea, but Loren credits Richt for putting every UGA letterman's name on the locker of his respective number. So when Mr. Paris, who has to be in his 70's now, looked at Samuel's locker, he had an emotional moment when he saw "Tommy Paris #22".
That might not seem like much to some, but it obviously means alot to everyone who's put on the Red & Black. It gives today's players a link to the past and certainly links the past players to the present.
Just one of the many reasons that make me realize the program is in good hands.
Got change for a $20?
The curtain goes up, the show gets pretty good........and you run out of quarters, dammit. Curtain down.
That sums up yesterday's G-Day game. The first half, while short, was pretty entertaining. The 2nd half didn't offer too much information due to all of the non-scholarship players on the field. Those guys don't get a chance to play in the fall, and it's great that their hard work is rewarded with some snaps in the spring game. It's just a shame that with the 8 minute quarters, we didn't get to see a few more series with the #1's & #2's.
The results weren't shocking at all. I was concerned with the number of playmakers on the black's offense, but a little pregame switcheration putting Caleb King and Walter Hill over there evened that out a little. The biggest problem, as I mentioned yesterday morning, was the black's O-line. 14 total games played between the 5, going against a front 7 that had 53 games was a bit of a mismatch, and it showed early and often.
The Good
Red Team
-Stafford's first drive was excellent. But, for all the talk about taking what the D gives him, he still didn't hesitate to try to thread a needle.
-Knowshon didn't look rusty at all. A couple of good runs and the cut on the screen play were all the coaches needed to see.
- The re-tooled O-line had a decent game. I did focus on Justin Anderson for a couple of plays and dayum, he moved both DT's by his lonesome.
-Logan Gray looked pretty dawg-gone good. He showed the speed and the arm. That TD pass was a laser. Did he grab the #2 qb spot? I dunno, but it's a matter of time.
-Richard Samuel did a pretty good job, although he had a chance at a TD with just Asher Allen to beat...advantage Allen.
-The defense spent more time in the backfield than Joe Cox.
-Vance Cuff made the shoestring tackle on CK that kept the UGA faithful from goin' absolutely nuts.
-Greg Blue.....oh...i meant John Knox absolutely crushed Kalvin Daniels on a dump over the middle. Knox also had a pick & a nice return for 20 yards.
-Walk-on Brian Behr boomed a 52 yd field goal at the end of the first half.
-The game ball goes to Michael Moore. Nothing like 2 TD receptions to make up for an entire spring of being left out of the headlines.
Black Team
-Caleb King's coming out party was greatly hampered by his inexperienced O-line. Overall, he had a decent day. A couple of tough runs up the middle and the "Oh what might have been" screen pass was the appetizer....dinner time is August 30th.
-I was glad to see Israel Troupe have a good day, since I've been pumping him up since he committed.
-Aron White made a nice grab between the safeties.
-Joe Cox (or any QB for the Black) had absolutely no time to throw the ball, but got some decent results.
-Kalvin Daniels, he of no scholly, no hype, & no 4 star rating had a very good G-Day. With his experience, he has to be the #3 tailback coming out of spring.
-Chad Gloer, I direct your attention to #6 on the black team roster. The kid made a couple of very good plays and deserves a mention.
The Bad
-I wasn't overly impressed with the 1st team D. In what amounts to 1 qtr of game time they gave up 17 points. The safety play (of which I have noted as a strength) must improve and is directly responsible for the 2 TD's. C'mon boys, don't make me eat crow. CMR has harped on consistency this spring. 4 great plays, then 1 bad one is enough to add up to 1 loss.
-Inexperienced depth on the O-line. I think the talent is there, but the #2's didn't mesh too well.
-The injury to Vince Vance. Reports are it's just a sprain, which is good news.......320 pounds on the sprain makes it a little worse.
The Ugly
-The Weather. Although, it could have been much worse.
-The clock. I understand the reasoning, the injuries and the anticipated weather, but we football junkies needed a little more of a fix to get us through the next 5 months.
That sums up yesterday's G-Day game. The first half, while short, was pretty entertaining. The 2nd half didn't offer too much information due to all of the non-scholarship players on the field. Those guys don't get a chance to play in the fall, and it's great that their hard work is rewarded with some snaps in the spring game. It's just a shame that with the 8 minute quarters, we didn't get to see a few more series with the #1's & #2's.
The results weren't shocking at all. I was concerned with the number of playmakers on the black's offense, but a little pregame switcheration putting Caleb King and Walter Hill over there evened that out a little. The biggest problem, as I mentioned yesterday morning, was the black's O-line. 14 total games played between the 5, going against a front 7 that had 53 games was a bit of a mismatch, and it showed early and often.
The Good
Red Team
-Stafford's first drive was excellent. But, for all the talk about taking what the D gives him, he still didn't hesitate to try to thread a needle.
-Knowshon didn't look rusty at all. A couple of good runs and the cut on the screen play were all the coaches needed to see.
- The re-tooled O-line had a decent game. I did focus on Justin Anderson for a couple of plays and dayum, he moved both DT's by his lonesome.
-Logan Gray looked pretty dawg-gone good. He showed the speed and the arm. That TD pass was a laser. Did he grab the #2 qb spot? I dunno, but it's a matter of time.
-Richard Samuel did a pretty good job, although he had a chance at a TD with just Asher Allen to beat...advantage Allen.
-The defense spent more time in the backfield than Joe Cox.
-Vance Cuff made the shoestring tackle on CK that kept the UGA faithful from goin' absolutely nuts.
-Greg Blue.....oh...i meant John Knox absolutely crushed Kalvin Daniels on a dump over the middle. Knox also had a pick & a nice return for 20 yards.
-Walk-on Brian Behr boomed a 52 yd field goal at the end of the first half.
-The game ball goes to Michael Moore. Nothing like 2 TD receptions to make up for an entire spring of being left out of the headlines.
Black Team
-Caleb King's coming out party was greatly hampered by his inexperienced O-line. Overall, he had a decent day. A couple of tough runs up the middle and the "Oh what might have been" screen pass was the appetizer....dinner time is August 30th.
-I was glad to see Israel Troupe have a good day, since I've been pumping him up since he committed.
-Aron White made a nice grab between the safeties.
-Joe Cox (or any QB for the Black) had absolutely no time to throw the ball, but got some decent results.
-Kalvin Daniels, he of no scholly, no hype, & no 4 star rating had a very good G-Day. With his experience, he has to be the #3 tailback coming out of spring.
-Chad Gloer, I direct your attention to #6 on the black team roster. The kid made a couple of very good plays and deserves a mention.
The Bad
-I wasn't overly impressed with the 1st team D. In what amounts to 1 qtr of game time they gave up 17 points. The safety play (of which I have noted as a strength) must improve and is directly responsible for the 2 TD's. C'mon boys, don't make me eat crow. CMR has harped on consistency this spring. 4 great plays, then 1 bad one is enough to add up to 1 loss.
-Inexperienced depth on the O-line. I think the talent is there, but the #2's didn't mesh too well.
-The injury to Vince Vance. Reports are it's just a sprain, which is good news.......320 pounds on the sprain makes it a little worse.
The Ugly
-The Weather. Although, it could have been much worse.
-The clock. I understand the reasoning, the injuries and the anticipated weather, but we football junkies needed a little more of a fix to get us through the next 5 months.
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Pre Spring Fling
Whether it's a flu bug or just a virus that's sweeping my household, I'm relegated to watching today's game on the tube. I got the tickets online, 16 whole dollars, and I'm glad it's going to charity.
The G-Day roster is out, and from the looks of it, the Red Team looks to have a distinct advantage. The Black's offensive threats are Joe Cox, Dontavious Jackson, Bruce Figgins, Israel Troupe, and Demiko Goodman. They'll be facing a pretty good #2 defense with the only weak link over at one corner position. The O line has 2 guys that have actually taken a snap.THROW IT UP JOE......if you have the time.
The field is going to be sloppy, no question. As of right now (11:45 a.m.) it looks like there's a chance the rain might stop by gametime.....with a little luck. The game has been shortened to 8 minute quarters due to the number of injured players.
Stafford's coming out early, so I'm a little anxious to see how Logan Gray does running the 1st team offense.
I just hope it's not a total slogfest.
The G-Day roster is out, and from the looks of it, the Red Team looks to have a distinct advantage. The Black's offensive threats are Joe Cox, Dontavious Jackson, Bruce Figgins, Israel Troupe, and Demiko Goodman. They'll be facing a pretty good #2 defense with the only weak link over at one corner position. The O line has 2 guys that have actually taken a snap.THROW IT UP JOE......if you have the time.
The field is going to be sloppy, no question. As of right now (11:45 a.m.) it looks like there's a chance the rain might stop by gametime.....with a little luck. The game has been shortened to 8 minute quarters due to the number of injured players.
Stafford's coming out early, so I'm a little anxious to see how Logan Gray does running the 1st team offense.
I just hope it's not a total slogfest.
Friday, April 4, 2008
How's it Hangin? Vol. II
The week that was.
UGA Football
Currently wrapping up spring practice. G-Day, Sanford Stadium, 4/5/08 @ 2 p.m. Next Opponent: Opening day at home vs Georgia Southern in 149 days.
UGA Basketball
Practice cranks back up in October. Recruiting news here.
UGA Baseball
Finished the week with a 4-1 record after taking 2 of 3 from Mississippi St and sweeping a pair from Clemson. Opens a 3 game set with South Carolina today in Athens. Overall record 17-10, 6-3 SEC. Trails Florida by 1 game in the SEC East.
Atlanta Braves
Two losses in extra innings, one loss to a walk off homer in the bottom 9th, and one win adds up to a fantabulous opening week of 1-3. Opens a series in Atlanta vs. the Mets today, then it's on the road to Colorado and Washington. And here's a newsflash......Mike Hampton gets put on the DL with a pulled pectoral muscle (chest strain)......WTF???
Atlanta Hawks
4-0 for the week. Wins over Chicago, New York, Memphis, and Toronto have widened the Hawks cushion on the 8th playoff spot from 1/2 game to 4 games with 7 remaining. Philly @ home tonight, Philly at Philly tomorrow, & Indiana on the road Tuesday. They haven't been playin against the NBA royalty, but I'll take any 5 game winning streak.
Atlanta Thrashers
Last chance to see the Thrashers this season will be Saturday nite, Phillips Arena, 7 p.m.
1-2 for the week.
Atlanta Falcons
NFL Draft, April 26-27
UGA Football
Currently wrapping up spring practice. G-Day, Sanford Stadium, 4/5/08 @ 2 p.m. Next Opponent: Opening day at home vs Georgia Southern in 149 days.
UGA Basketball
Practice cranks back up in October. Recruiting news here.
UGA Baseball
Finished the week with a 4-1 record after taking 2 of 3 from Mississippi St and sweeping a pair from Clemson. Opens a 3 game set with South Carolina today in Athens. Overall record 17-10, 6-3 SEC. Trails Florida by 1 game in the SEC East.
Atlanta Braves
Two losses in extra innings, one loss to a walk off homer in the bottom 9th, and one win adds up to a fantabulous opening week of 1-3. Opens a series in Atlanta vs. the Mets today, then it's on the road to Colorado and Washington. And here's a newsflash......Mike Hampton gets put on the DL with a pulled pectoral muscle (chest strain)......WTF???
Atlanta Hawks
4-0 for the week. Wins over Chicago, New York, Memphis, and Toronto have widened the Hawks cushion on the 8th playoff spot from 1/2 game to 4 games with 7 remaining. Philly @ home tonight, Philly at Philly tomorrow, & Indiana on the road Tuesday. They haven't been playin against the NBA royalty, but I'll take any 5 game winning streak.
Atlanta Thrashers
Last chance to see the Thrashers this season will be Saturday nite, Phillips Arena, 7 p.m.
1-2 for the week.
Atlanta Falcons
NFL Draft, April 26-27
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Better Late than Never
When it hurts to read, you know it's gotta be the flu. But, after 48 hours of pure misery, I'm back among the living, if barely. Before I went into a delusional state, I was trying to point out the number of players that UGA will rotate into the game on a regular basis, regardless of the situation or opponent. I wanted to see how we stacked up talent-wise to some of the other big programs.
Here's a summary:
To get a handle on that question, let's look at the number of players that actually see the field in an important, hard-fought game....no blowouts......special teams don't count.....just offense and defense.....and make it a conference game, just to make sure that no holds are barred.My three models from 2007 are UGA vs Florida, USC vs Oregon, and LSU vs Auburn.
UGA used 52 players
Florida 51
USC 53
Oregon 47
Auburn 49
LSU 48
45 looks like a good solid number to slug it out with the big boys. These don't have to be 4 or 5 star players (although that doesn't hurt), just solid D-1A players. Having more than that doesn't seem to matter, since only 50 or so are going to play. Having less.....you may be in trouble.
I'm reasonably certain that the majority of the Dawgnation is aware of how our coaching staff likes to get alot of players into a game. But for the few who may not be aware, I'm going to list the players that, barring injury, will play in every game in 2008.
I'd like to point out that the majority of these guys will get plenty of snaps. Last year, Jeremy Lomax averaged 23 snaps per game as a backup DE. Reshad Jones finished 3rd on the team in tackles as a backup. Knowshon came off the bench for half the season. Geno Atkins did the same.
The point is that these guys don't come off the bench to give the starters an occasional breather. They are part of a rotation, and given their talent level, the Dawgs don't lose much in the way of performance.
Yes, there is a reason that we have a depth chart. The starters earned their positions. But the guys that come off the bench on Saturdays are pushing those starters everyday in practice.
Ok, before I slip back into my flu-like delusions, here's the list.......
Safety (3) - Reshad Jones, CJ Byrd, Quentin Banks
Corner (5) - Asher Allen, Prince Miller, Bryan Evans, Remarcus Brown, Vance Cuff
Linebacker(6) - Dannell Ellerbe, Akeem Dent, Rennie Curran, Darius Dewberry, Daryl Gamble, Akeem Hebron
D-Tackle (4) - Jeff Owens, Geno Atkins, Kade Weston, Corey Irvin
D -End (4) - Roderick Battle, Jarius Wynn, Jeremy Lomax, Demarcus Dobbs
O-line (8) - Vince Vance, Josh Davis, Chris Davis, Kiante Tripp, Trinton Sturdivant, Clint Boling, Justin Anderson, Chris Little.
Tight End (3) - Tripp Chandler, Bruce Figgins, Aaron White
Wide Receiver (7) - Mohamed Massaquoi, Kris Durham, Kenneth Harris, Demiko Goodman, Tony Wilson, Michael Moore, Walter Hill.
Fullback (2) - Brannan Southerland, Shaun Chapas
Tailback (2) - Knowshon Moreno, Caleb King
Quarterback (1) - Matt Stafford
Thats a total of 45 players that look to share the bulk of the snaps in a close game this season. By the time opening day rolls around, I look for 8-10 more players to add their name to the list, especially on defense.
If I've missed someone who obviously should be on the list, leave a note in the comments section.
Here's a summary:
To get a handle on that question, let's look at the number of players that actually see the field in an important, hard-fought game....no blowouts......special teams don't count.....just offense and defense.....and make it a conference game, just to make sure that no holds are barred.My three models from 2007 are UGA vs Florida, USC vs Oregon, and LSU vs Auburn.
UGA used 52 players
Florida 51
USC 53
Oregon 47
Auburn 49
LSU 48
45 looks like a good solid number to slug it out with the big boys. These don't have to be 4 or 5 star players (although that doesn't hurt), just solid D-1A players. Having more than that doesn't seem to matter, since only 50 or so are going to play. Having less.....you may be in trouble.
I'm reasonably certain that the majority of the Dawgnation is aware of how our coaching staff likes to get alot of players into a game. But for the few who may not be aware, I'm going to list the players that, barring injury, will play in every game in 2008.
I'd like to point out that the majority of these guys will get plenty of snaps. Last year, Jeremy Lomax averaged 23 snaps per game as a backup DE. Reshad Jones finished 3rd on the team in tackles as a backup. Knowshon came off the bench for half the season. Geno Atkins did the same.
The point is that these guys don't come off the bench to give the starters an occasional breather. They are part of a rotation, and given their talent level, the Dawgs don't lose much in the way of performance.
Yes, there is a reason that we have a depth chart. The starters earned their positions. But the guys that come off the bench on Saturdays are pushing those starters everyday in practice.
Ok, before I slip back into my flu-like delusions, here's the list.......
Safety (3) - Reshad Jones, CJ Byrd, Quentin Banks
Corner (5) - Asher Allen, Prince Miller, Bryan Evans, Remarcus Brown, Vance Cuff
Linebacker(6) - Dannell Ellerbe, Akeem Dent, Rennie Curran, Darius Dewberry, Daryl Gamble, Akeem Hebron
D-Tackle (4) - Jeff Owens, Geno Atkins, Kade Weston, Corey Irvin
D -End (4) - Roderick Battle, Jarius Wynn, Jeremy Lomax, Demarcus Dobbs
O-line (8) - Vince Vance, Josh Davis, Chris Davis, Kiante Tripp, Trinton Sturdivant, Clint Boling, Justin Anderson, Chris Little.
Tight End (3) - Tripp Chandler, Bruce Figgins, Aaron White
Wide Receiver (7) - Mohamed Massaquoi, Kris Durham, Kenneth Harris, Demiko Goodman, Tony Wilson, Michael Moore, Walter Hill.
Fullback (2) - Brannan Southerland, Shaun Chapas
Tailback (2) - Knowshon Moreno, Caleb King
Quarterback (1) - Matt Stafford
Thats a total of 45 players that look to share the bulk of the snaps in a close game this season. By the time opening day rolls around, I look for 8-10 more players to add their name to the list, especially on defense.
If I've missed someone who obviously should be on the list, leave a note in the comments section.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Rising to the Top - Part II
Yesterday I posted the top 20 schools as they rated in signing 4 & 5 star recruits since 2003, which would have made them 5th year seniors in 2007. Now I've thrown away the 2003 class and counted 2008 and the numbers look like this.
(1) USC 79
(2) FLORIDA 77
(3) FSU 75
(4) LSU 71
(5) OKLAHOMA 66
(6) GEORGIA 63
(7) TEXAS 62
(7) MIAMI 62
(9) MICHIGAN 59
(10) OHIO ST. 54
(10) ALABAMA 54
(12) TENNESSEE 52
(13) NOTRE DAME 49
(14) AUBURN 46
(15) CLEMSON 37
(16) S. CAROLINA 36
(17) PENN ST. 35
(17) CALIFORNIA 35
(19) NEBRASKA 34
(20) TEXAS A&M 33
As a point of reference, I'll include these teams that finished in the top 10 on the field; Missouri 14, WVA 7, Kansas 5.
I'll say it again, these are not the numbers on the actual rosters. Some have graduated, jumped to the NFL, and some never made it to school. UGA for example has 51 of the 63 players on it's 2008 roster. 11 of the missing players have used their eligibility and 1 never made it to campus. Maybe I'll track down the actual players on each team's roster in the future, cuz it's gonna be a boring summer.
There's several ways of breaking down the information on this list. Do you need a ton of highly rated recruits to compete? What does it mean when the super talented teams under perform? Why don't the top 10 on the list equal the top 10 in the rankings? I'm just going to look at one for right now - How many good players does a team need to compete at the highest level?
To get a handle on that question, let's look at the number of players that actually see the field in an important, hard-fought game....no blowouts......special teams don't count.....just offense and defense.....and make it a conference game, just to make sure that no holds are barred.
My three models from 2007 are UGA vs Florida, USC vs Oregon, and LSU vs Auburn.
UGA used 52 players
Florida 51
USC 53
Oregon 47
Auburn 49
LSU 48
45 looks like a good solid number to slug it out with the big boys. These don't have to be 4 or 5 star players (although that doesn't hurt), just solid D-1A players. Having more than that doesn't seem to matter, since only 50 or so are going to play. Having less.....you may be in trouble.
Tomorrow, I'll try to put out the list of UGA players that will likely have legitimate playing time in the close ones.
(1) USC 79
(2) FLORIDA 77
(3) FSU 75
(4) LSU 71
(5) OKLAHOMA 66
(6) GEORGIA 63
(7) TEXAS 62
(7) MIAMI 62
(9) MICHIGAN 59
(10) OHIO ST. 54
(10) ALABAMA 54
(12) TENNESSEE 52
(13) NOTRE DAME 49
(14) AUBURN 46
(15) CLEMSON 37
(16) S. CAROLINA 36
(17) PENN ST. 35
(17) CALIFORNIA 35
(19) NEBRASKA 34
(20) TEXAS A&M 33
As a point of reference, I'll include these teams that finished in the top 10 on the field; Missouri 14, WVA 7, Kansas 5.
I'll say it again, these are not the numbers on the actual rosters. Some have graduated, jumped to the NFL, and some never made it to school. UGA for example has 51 of the 63 players on it's 2008 roster. 11 of the missing players have used their eligibility and 1 never made it to campus. Maybe I'll track down the actual players on each team's roster in the future, cuz it's gonna be a boring summer.
There's several ways of breaking down the information on this list. Do you need a ton of highly rated recruits to compete? What does it mean when the super talented teams under perform? Why don't the top 10 on the list equal the top 10 in the rankings? I'm just going to look at one for right now - How many good players does a team need to compete at the highest level?
To get a handle on that question, let's look at the number of players that actually see the field in an important, hard-fought game....no blowouts......special teams don't count.....just offense and defense.....and make it a conference game, just to make sure that no holds are barred.
My three models from 2007 are UGA vs Florida, USC vs Oregon, and LSU vs Auburn.
UGA used 52 players
Florida 51
USC 53
Oregon 47
Auburn 49
LSU 48
45 looks like a good solid number to slug it out with the big boys. These don't have to be 4 or 5 star players (although that doesn't hurt), just solid D-1A players. Having more than that doesn't seem to matter, since only 50 or so are going to play. Having less.....you may be in trouble.
Tomorrow, I'll try to put out the list of UGA players that will likely have legitimate playing time in the close ones.
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