A Look Back

Last couple of weeks, maybe more, I have had several discussions with myself (wife says I have lost it) about our football team and where I think we are out. Good and bad.

First thing that comes to my mind is I don't like our record, want to win every game. What is the reason that we have been in several games that we lost, but we lost?

Taking the offensive side of the ball first, agree with several on this board about running the football more. We did have a couple of problems with running backs this year. For some reason our two best backs (supposed best) could not get on the same page with the rules and regulations that all have to adhere to. One seemed to have a problem blocking for his quarterback. Not sure if he ever learned that trick and here we are approaching the last scheduled game of the year. He did not seem to want to do the hard work.

Our other running back has seemed to stay dinged up since his arrival in Athens. He does know how to block, but it is hard to block for your quarterback when you are suspended for a couple of games, and seem to be banged up for most of the season. These two were supposed to be more than average coming into this season. If I had to give a grade, it would not meet the standards that UGA backs over the years have risen to. Not even close, both attitude and talent.

Not real sure what happened to our offensive line. There was mention on a lot of internet sites and media folks that UGA would be really good this year. After watching the last couple of games, I have been a bit dumbfounded. Sturdivant is to be admired for his guts, guts to just make it back to the gridiron and play in the SEC. After watching this young man play closely the last couple of games, he was getting beaten pretty badly on more than one play this year. Did not see that confidence that he showed before the injuries. That brings me to this question. Is Sturdivant the best football player that we have to play on the left side of the line. The backside of AM, it has to be protected, especially if the coaching philosophy early on was for AM to stay in the pocket. I squawked about this early and often on this board, surprised that he wasn't wiped out before the Auburn game. Wiped out on a legal hit, not the Fairless variety that got him.

The knee shot that AM took came when Sturdivant was beaten on the play. Depth on the offensive side, the line, scares me a bit for the upcoming year. I am a great believer in a superior offensive line. I believe that we have a superior offensive line coach. Searels has had to work miracles for some time now. I hope that we keep some of our big'uns with some experience next year, this could be critical.

Defense. Probably if we had played a four man front the entire year, maybe another win or two. We did play a lot of four man fronts. I am on board with switching to the 3/4 and moving forward with same. Grantham has spoken, not a lot, but has spoken about bigger and better things. Next year this defense has to come out of its shell quickly. Most of us, or a lot of us have said this year is understandable to a point. One or two new players are not going to make a huge difference next year. It is understood that Grantham wants larger folks with their hand on the ground. That is why he was hired, to make the defense respected again in the SEC. I feel that he has gotten the message, will know more about that when recruiting is over. Grantham is responsible for taking the defense to another level.

Looks like the linebacking corps is in place. I like the bodies that I see available. Speed, size and a couple of mean streaks. Belin is not a beginnner, like those that were here before him. He should have a lot of smiles not only on his face, ours also. There is talent there. There will be a name that is not talked about much at the linebacking position right now that will step forward for Belin next year. Feel really good about our backers, not just because Jones will be there, there are others like Samuels for example. Samuels could be that man.

Lots of folks got to play in the defensive backfield this year. It was a point of uncertainty for most of the year in my opinion. We have all have heard that phrase about being on an island, an island alone. That happened this year. Think that Rambo talked a better game than he was playing at the start of this year. More I look at some of the games we played, looks to me that he was trying to cover up for some of the folks that got lost. Not making excuses for him, have had time to look at some of the games and others were totally out of position. Yep, he made mistakes also, and his own words . . . taking time off. That was the wrong thing to say, especially if you are a "supposed leader". Leadership is earned, should never be handed to anyone.

Sometimes folks think that they can live on their father's tailcoats. We have a punter that at times did not exhibit the class that his father did. Field position has always been a huge portion of SEC fooball, junior needs to revisit what he can do and get on with the program.

Hope that all of the players on this year's edition get their backs up, Tech is coming to town, and they will come to play. Bothers me with our team when we have a 13 to 15 point predicted advantage. Tech will play their hearts out, hope we wake up and do the same. Just win, point difference means nothing to me.

Go Dawgs, beat Tech!!

If there was ever a time to lay it on the line.

We'll beat GT by 2 TD's.

Buc and OSD, said it before, say it again......our RB's are just above average at best. The coaching staff knows we can't just "run it down their throats"....at least not in the SEC games. CMR knows the strength of the offense is AM and our WR corp. You get a IC or a Lattimore type back THEN you can run the ball more but until then, you have to play to your strengths and that is AM.

School is still "out" with CTG and our D.....we all think he can turn it around though...we'll see.

Two kickers are as good as any team in the country.......a let down this year. Kick coverage was an outstanding improvement......return game as good as ever.

Next year??? Hmmmm, really need IC in my book. Total game changer.

Agree for the most part wlayton. Will say this, if we don't have an offensive line that can run block, don't care if we have Mighty Joe Young taking the handoff. No offensive line, no ground game. Have seen that unfold many times in my young life.

I hope we get IC. I also hope that we recruit some folks that Searels can mold into a line that IC would be happy to run behind. There have been some folks that say they are coming to UGA and if they do, hope we hit the jackpot with them.

I will always side with the big Dawgs on both the offensive and defensive lines.

Buc wrote:

Agree for the most part wlayton. Will say this, if we don't have an offensive line that can run block, don't care if we have Mighty Joe Young taking the handoff. No offensive line, no ground game. Have seen that unfold many times in my young life.

I hope we get IC. I also hope that we recruit some folks that Searels can mold into a line that IC would be happy to run behind. There have been some folks that say they are coming to UGA and if they do, hope we hit the jackpot with them.

I will always side with the big Dawgs on both the offensive and defensive lines.

Buc, I contacted "my guy" for his inside thoughts on next year's OL, here's what he had to say.

"Should be decent. Losing Boling will hurt. He’s the best we have by far. However Glen and Jones should be very solid. Hopefully Sturdivant will be better with another year removed from the surgery. They’ll need AJ Harmon and Tanner Strickland to step up. Just hope that Glen doesn’t turn pro. There have been rumors that he will."

wlayton I too have heard and read some rumors about CG going to the pros.

Always watch the recruiting period closely, this year will be watching closer than ever.

CTG is after John Jenkins, huge dude.

Ht: 6-4 Wt: 340
Position: DT
Birthplace: Meriden, CT
Class: Sophomore
Junior College: Mississippi Gulf Coast