From Athens - "Mars Week"

Good Morning All,

Four years ago the iphone was introduced.

Four years ago is when the “Big Dig” was completed.

Four years ago is when we last beat Florida.

Four weeks to kickoff!!!!

I am not what you would call a number cruncher, however there are times when stats just jump up and slap me in the face.

Last season our opponents on third down converted 41.9% for a first down.

This along with the lack of conditioning gives reasons why the “D” in the 4th quarter was sucking air. Flat out on the field to many plays.

Give any offense enough plays and they will score, at the very least they hand you a long field to start with.

I have spoke several times about how our defense this year needs to pull the train early on.

AM does not need the added pressure from playing from behind, digging out of big holes and trying to keep us in ballgames. Give this offense time to grow as a unit.

CTG has a plan in place for year two. He understood coming in that there was both a learning curve and personnel issues that needed to be overcome for us to get better. He is not the “New” kid on the block any longer. The days of kicking sand on CTG have come and gone.

No we are still a ways away from the “Glory Days” of the Junkyard “D”.

However we will see more progress moving us closer to our goal of having a shut down “D”.

I feel confident that CTG and his staff have and will continue to make improvements to reduce that 41% for third down conversions.

How successful we are gives us an insight to what this coming season record will be.

I am a not in awe of BSU and the hype that the media is putting out.

They are a good team well coached playing in a candy league. Put them in the SEC for a season and see what they can do.I bet nobody would rank their D-line number one then !

We go to Atlanta take care of business and then go about getting ready to fry chicken in week two.

You want to eat the fruit ya need to get out on the limb.

Come week 3 Dawgs are 2-0. Let the chapel bell ring!!!

Russ is back!! “Fear the Brown Ear”

Thats correct wLayton --- Mars is the fourth planet from the sun !! and that is how many weeks left until kickoff. Might have to call a practice tailgate party??

All IN ??

Pause and give thanks.

Have a great weekend and a safe week!

As always “Go Dawgs”

yankeedawg1, from where I sit, much can be said about the hiring of Grantham.

Prior to Grantham's arrival in Athens, Richt was said to have offered or considered the DC job to four other folks. Last I heard, Grantham was the fifth choice. Richt knew that the folks that fill the seats in the stadium were tired of WM's lack of overall defensive prowess. Everyone, almost everyone was screaming to high Heaven that Richt had to cut ties with his friend. Richt was truly on the hot seat at that point.

Fast forward two years. The excitement surrounding our team is higher than it has been in some time. The press and fans seem to be impressed with what appears to be a solid rebuilding of the defense in Grantham's short tenure. That of course remains to be seen, have to put cleats in the turf and prove one's point.

Reading thrillers post from yesterday with some thoughts on wins and losses. He did an excellent job of laying out "food for thought". I took the scores predicted by thriller and worked them out over a seasons play. The offense would score 34+ points a game, the defense would relinquish 17+ points a game. I had mentioned in another thread early on that I thought this defense could and "might" chop one touchdown a game off of last years scores. If that happens, there is no reason not to have a very successful year.

Last year we scored some points, but were handicapped with what I call either player revolt or stupidity. Maybe a bit of both. That goes for the staff to a point. We have certainly heard different words coming from the coach speak thus far. That is not laid on one coach, shoe fits more than one.

As you say yankeedawg1, time is near. Troops say they are ready to join hands and March on Atlanta. While I don't want the City of Atlanta to burn again, would love to see the UGA Football Team rise from the ashes and restore as you say "Glory Days" and "Junkyard D".

Have yourself a fine day and weekend. One more thing, any little tid-bit you can come across up your way, pass it along.

Go Dawgs . . . Coach Them Up . . . .

Buc, just after I sent my first post I was talking with one of the locals about CTG.
Brought up the question of CTG being choice #5.

His read was CTG was very high on CMR wish list. There had been back channel talks between the two going back to mid season 2009. CTG has a lake house on Lake Oconee just south of Athens and has been found of the area for several years. CMR wanted a NFL guy but had to wait until the Cowboys season ended. He "looked" at others but by no means did he scrap the barrel. Like a good cook CMR knew what spice had to be added to make the soup special. Word from campus is CTG has not loss any of his fire in year two. He will have his "D" ready for the dome. Go Dawgs !

Good posts.
I am hoping for the old days when I couldn't wait for the defense to get back on the field.

Whatever the reason Grantham is here yankeedawg1, I for one am very happy with what I have seen from his efforts. He is a stand up guy, and that speaks volumes for those that are successful.

When we have offensive leaders, one in particular, AM, praising Grantham, allows me to think that this hiring was a very good thing. That also speaks to AM and his role now as leader of this football team. He recognizes what has to be done on BOTH SIDES OF THE FOOTBALL. That is without question, leadership.

Do know that the LSU defensive coach was mentioned, lots of folks wanting Smart and Saban saying to Smart that sometimes moves are lateral not upward. Virginia Tech defensive coach being approached appeared in many reports. The good thing about the folks being given consideration for the job shows just how delicate the UGA defensive side had become. Smart decision for whatever reason that Grantham is back on the field "Barking" like another defensive coach from years gone by.

averagedawg wrote:

Good posts.
I am hoping for the old days when I couldn't wait for the defense to get back on the field.

Bump!! Both of us know that defense has to be played in the SEC averagedawg.