More analysis - Missouri

I'll keep this short, and let the thread do most of the "work". However, here's what we need to prepare for.

Missouri - what I don't like:

1. James Franklin, their QB, is a good passer. Not quite as good as AM, but good. By that, I mean that while he is more efficient by a few percentage points, he doesn't throw it QUITE as much. Problem is, he can run. Nearly 1000 yards worth last year. That can put defenses on their heels all game, and he did last year. A lot. I don't like that, because we will be short handed for reasons we all know, in the secondary and LB corps.

2. Henry Josey, RB. Over 1000 yards. 116/game. In other words, they have an excellent running game to compliment their passing game. Very balanced, and I don't like that. They have 3 guys who carried the ball more than 100 times last season, and they averaged at least 4.5 yards per carry MINIMUM, between them. That's SCAREY. In a previous thread we've talked about the need to get more carries from more rushers to keep defenses off balance. They DO that.

What I DO like:

1. James Franklin has slightly less than a 2 to 1 ratio of TDs to INTs. 21 TDs to 11 INTs. I like that a lot. And because he runs a lot, that means he has to get hit more. Better chance of injury (did I just print that?), and we've already seen that this year. Still, he only got sacked 18 times last year, probably because defenses really can't "tee off" on the guy like they would like to. I guess that goes in the "I don't like" category, but it's worth mentioning. Overall, they like their QB with good reason.

2. Their defense isn't as good as ours, plain and simple. They gave up 382.3 yards per game last year. That's down right POROUS. We only gave up 268.5 per game. That is CONSIDERABLE.

3. They don't convert on 3rd down. Only 37.3 %. We converted at 43.5%. Another advantage for our D.

And that is probably the difference. The offenses are both scoring 32.2 points per game. However, our D gives up 19.6 points per game (let's face it, some of those were "giveaway" points too), but their D gives up 23.5 points per game. And that WILL be the difference in this game, if our D is all it's cracked up to be. It BETTER be.

My prediction:

UGA 38 Mizzou 31

What do you think?

They played in the Big 12 ="s zero D. They haven't seen a D like they are going to see that night. Their RB's won't average 4.5 ypc, probably less than 2 ypc. Our offense will score......mainly because their D is so bad, which is great because we always start the season very slow and get better (OL is biggest reason). They can't score 31 on our D, suspensions or not........Bolles HS would score 21 on their D.....so I predict....

UGA 34
Mizzou 17

wlayton wrote: They played in the Big 12 ="s zero D. They haven't seen a D like they are going to see that night. Their RB's won't average 4.5 ypc, probably less than 2 ypc. Our offense will score......mainly because their D is so bad, which is great because we always start the season very slow and get better (OL is biggest reason). They can't score 31 on our D, suspensions or not........Bolles HS would score 21 on their D.....so I predict....

UGA 34
Mizzou 17

Man, I hope you're right, wlayton. But we did give up a lot of points to a very similar Vandy "O" last year. That's why I picked the score the way I did - some cheap late TD, or a pick or a fumble - we always have those. Still, this better be a win. Otherwise, it's going to be a LONG season.

My first thought about Missouri would go back to what ogredawg said. Don’t look past this team. He played the game, and regardless of the level that any of us played, football is football and there are “land mines” out there. Missouri could very well be the “determining factor” when we relive the 2012 season.

Jefferson was injured and if I am right, had surgery. Sometimes hard to come back and be the same if the injury is serious enough. Have tried to follow him recuperating, not too much of that information gets outside of the gates. For the most part, Jefferson is reported to be on track and ready for the invasion of the Dawgs from Georgia. The Dawgs are coming, and I hope that we have grown enough to live by what most of the returning players said after last season. Don’t have to go into detail, but the young men returning said point blank they are back for a “reason”. I buy into that.

Most of you know that I have to do this . . . . Todd Grantham coached the young men on probation, he also has coached the young men that will suit up and play. I believe that by the middle of the third quarter, maybe before, maybe after, we will see the results and reasoning of why Grantham was hired. Third year, lots of athletes. I hope that the SEC referees let these two teams play football.

Think that this game will cause a lot of folks to be nervous (including me) believe that it will be something like the night that Alabama invaded Athens on a mission. We all know how that turned out.

This is the game when we also get a “true picture” of just how good our kicking and punting game is. This could very well decide the outcome.

Georgia — 45
Missouri — 18

Mark Richt, turn these young men loose. They chose to return to Athens and sure did not hurt you and your future in my way of thinking. Let them get every yard they can. Feel sure that Todd Grantham and company will be out to impress.

Go Dawgs, Coach’em Up!

thriller wrote:

wlayton wrote: They played in the Big 12 ="s zero D. They haven't seen a D like they are going to see that night. Their RB's won't average 4.5 ypc, probably less than 2 ypc. Our offense will score......mainly because their D is so bad, which is great because we always start the season very slow and get better (OL is biggest reason). They can't score 31 on our D, suspensions or not........Bolles HS would score 21 on their D.....so I predict....

UGA 34
Mizzou 17

Man, I hope you're right, wlayton. But we did give up a lot of points to a very similar Vandy "O" last year. That's why I picked the score the way I did - some cheap late TD, or a pick or a fumble - we always have those. Still, this better be a win. Otherwise, it's going to be a LONG season.

thriller....I will be very nervous but on the flip side of the "cheap TD" ledger, I believe our D is going to be the ones to cause turnovers. Again, they haven't faced a D before that can shut down the run and make them one dimensional. You know what happens when a team can't run and they become one dimensional......we turn the BIG DAWGS loose and Franklin will be running for his life.

Looking around came up with this. Interesting reading what other Dawg Fans think about this season.

www.berniesdawgblawg.com/2012/06/around-...st-game-of-2012.html