From Athens- Friday Thoughs

Another thought that I have had for a while. Talk about coaches coming in from the Big Whatever and other conferences.

Not sure if there are others here that agree, but . . . .

I welcome all of the coaches that choose to recruit in the Southeast. Reason? In my mind it makes “us” tighten up our recruiting policies and tactics. Grantham was mentioned in the BPS, that always leads me to say something.

Grantham had a policy of having the recruits come to him, same way it was done in the NFL. I can recall Grantham making one very serious effort to get Jordan Jenkins. A case of “hard work” paying off. Jordan Jenkins #59 was supposedly a solid lock to Alabama. For that I congratulate our former Defensive Coordinator. Jenkins is a football player. Not sure that Grantham will ever think he is nothing other than the best defensive coordinator in football . . . . both NFL and College.

What I am seeing now is a group of coaches that are “invading” territory North of the Mason/Dixon Line. A welcome site for this old dawg. Not that long ago, most of our players were coming from the Southeast. Many times being disappointed when LOI day arrived each February. We have on occasion found a “nugget”, that however is not enough.

Yankeedawg1 mentions the “Alabama Gang” that phrase is being used in some cases on this board. All we have to do is check the way that the coaches in Tuscaloosa were recruiting and still do, they have been successful and that happened soon after Nick Saban's arrival. Call it copycat or whatever, I like being called a copycat based on first year results.

Back to where I started. We continue to build “depth”, win games that we play against top 25 teams, be hard to argue the point that the “Alabama Gang” did not have a lot to do with turning our football program around. For damn sure the “Leader” of the “Alabama Gang” got Mahogany Rows attention . . . . to the tune of some reports, 30 million. This old fart believes it will come in under that number, McGarity will find a way.

End with this. Reading other sites, some are saying we lose three(3) or four(4) games in 2015. To that I say this . . . . there are some very good football teams in the SEC outside of Athens. Maybe in 2015, we don't “blow two(2) games from a coaching standpoint”.

Found this video interesting . . . . you? Has me wondering.

Buc. CMR was imo trying to answer the questions openly without giving the farm away

We are GA and we will run plays that we have for a good number of years we may call it with a different name but it is the same play

How many names can you give a quarterback sneak?

He was trying to convince the world we don't plan to do anything differently

However. OC has new pass plays and a few new twists. For run plays

All this tells me. Be ready for anything

Giving a lot of thought to our “team building” efforts, for me it comes down to this.

When AM was our leader, there was in my mind a lack of leadership or an inability to create an entire team. Not Aaron Murray's fault. AM spent his “off time” in the Summer improving his skills, making Georgia a respected team again. Young man also spent hours of his time in the film room, trying to improve himself and the team.

If our leaders had the “know how” or the “want to” when Aaron Murray was in Athens, I still say something was missing. That part I have openly posted here before, more than once actually.

Many of the offensive and defensive linemen were being moved back and forth, playing both sides of the ball. Little wonder that AM was getting unnecessary contact for too long. Much of that falls squarely on recruiting, but anyone that thinks a lack of solid recruiting and team building was the only reason, not so. There was turmoil between the folks that were supposed to be “leading and teaching” these young players. Red and Black was not moving forward and if we are truthful to ourselves, we had become a mid to lower level SEC football team.

Fast forward.

I have stayed away from the Eason at quarterback talk. Several reasons for that. No doubt that it gives the media a “continuing story”, it also gives our coaches some breathing room. That “two year thingy”. Get'em next year.

This is what I hope is being laid out for the future of Georgia football.

Eason on board . . . . what I see happening is what I would call “Fraternity Building”. Top rated quarterback in the country coming in, but coming in with offensive linemen that he will spend his time on campus with. This creates a “pact” that far exceeds previous efforts in Athens. These recruits will be no different than our Military recruits. They go through Boot Camp together, learn how to live and protect one another. Some of the bonds will last a lifetime. That my friends on this board is what has been missing.

This is how “smart” AM was/is . . . . he would regularly take his offensive linemen out for ice cream. To those unaware, that meant a lot and it proved itself out with AM becoming a very good SEC quarterback. AM had to “build” his own frat group, sure as hell was not getting a lot of help at the beginning from the upper level folks. Much of that rests with the head coach and our offensive coordinator at that point.

There has been change in Athens. Change was needed in Athens, we didn't have a lot to cheer about from the year 2007 and beyond. AM tried, did his best. One problem, those above him were not and finally it came down to a piss fight between “management folks” to make some changes.

End with this.

Jacob Eason with all of his talent, that is what I read, coming to Athens with a group of highly rated offensive linemen that he is on the ground floor with to build that “Fraternity”. Maybe it was time to change coaches . . . . you think?

Georgia Football thoughts that I have.

Handful.