Thank You Nick Saban

Looking through different recruiting sheets, appears that Georgia has made a serious effort to join the elite. We are good, not elite. At this point, my thinking is that Alabama is elite and it appears they intend to remain there. I don’t have a problem with that, proves to me that Alabama’s success has motivated some of the folks in Athens to step up the pace.

2014 is going to be a recruiting season worth paying attention to, for more than one reason.

Right now Alabama and Georgia are recruiting real hard for many of the same athletes, that too can be a positive. Only so many scholarships, one university cannot get all of the talent. While Alabama is on a strong run since Saban came calling, truth is, he has in an indirect way got the attention of the forces in Athens. That is good. Georgia needed something or someone to rattle our cage, we were rocking along with more wins than losses, but not against teams that Alabama ran through rather easily on their way to the Crystal(s).

Back to back wins over Florida. Many thought we would never win in JAX again. Must admit, it looked awful from where I sat. What happened that caused the turn around? Probably more things that any of us are aware of. I would however point out that much has changed in Athens since Todd Grantham arrived. Was it the fact that he is full of piss and vinegar, refusing to accept mediocre play from individuals that he knew were much better than their performances on the field? I believe that.

Much of the media talk concerning Georgia football for the upcoming season almost always starts with our offense is going to be very good. I believe that. Any time a team has running backs like Gurley and Marshall, a quarterback that sometimes breaks our hearts, but somehow manages on (most) occasions to overcome mistakes he has made. Easy to believe we will put points on the board.

In my opinion, this is the year that Todd Grantham proves to us that he has done the job he was hired to do. These are Grantham’s players on the defense, plain and simple truth. I also believe that we will see more of what Grantham set out to do. The man is a teacher, all of us know that. Almost to the player on the defensive side, these are Grantham’s choices to run his defense.

As good as this year can be, would surprise me if next season we don’t have college footballs attention from top to bottom. Believe that one or two more years of a coaching group that remains together will be the final step in catching up with Alabama. We are close, very close. The young men that sign on with the Red and Black this year will be a huge part of Georgia’s move to the top. Looking forward to being in the playoffs, often. Football is fixing to change big time, not only for you and I, players and coaches also.

Like Saban or not, the man reminds me a lot of General George Patton. Refuses to accept anything but total effort, and he will put his 5’7” nose in your face without a second thought. If the leader does not get on your butt, whether in practice or on game day, you are the young man that dresses on Saturday and watches from the sidelines. Those of you that played football, and there are many on this board, know exactly what I am saying.

One last comment . . . . Willie Martinez never understood what Saban knows. Think I have seen some changes in Mark Richt’s way of coaching, smart ones catch on quickly, or in some cases, never.

Another thought on reloading or rebuilding a football team.

Last few years most of the hype in the NFL has been centered around getting to the quarterback. Young players see that while still growing in high school and figure that is the best way to get to the NFL.

The just concluded NFL draft has opened a new can of worms. Offensive line talent is fast becoming noticed, not just "big, fat" bodies, but players trained to protect said quarterbacks.

If I am one of those 6' something young men with talent to play on both sides of the ball in high school, going to give much thought to grooming myself for the offensive line. Talk about skilled players, check some of the academic marks that many manning the offensive line have attained prior to college and pro.

For as long as I can remember, when reporters referred to skill positions, for the most part they were talking about running backs. They are skilled for sure, athletically, but look a bit further at many that carry the pigskin, sorry, dumb as rocks. Not calling names, all don't fit into that statement. Matter of fact our latest group of running backs have the right to be referred to as "skilled", prior to them, we had some "rocks". One in particular had to have AM tell him what to do before many plays ever got started. Everyone else was out of the huddle and in position. The NFL is looking more and more at this and we are beginning to see that hard work, which includes using ones gray matter rates highly.

Do know this, the 1 and 2 picks in this draft will make a lot more money than any defensive end or tackle when the contracts are put to bed. Just something to think about if you are a young man with great size and athletic ability. Might want to make the last step, so that you do well when the commissioner starts calling names in Radio City Music Hall.

Took some time and visited the site below again. When I mention Nick Saban, many of the recruits coming to Georgia I believe are a result of changing the way we do things in Athens. Notice that several of the athletes were recruited heavily by Alabama, South Carolina and Georgia. Not too many secrets in the player pool coming out of high schools these days.

Question for those that read this site . . . . Thoughts on the class as a whole and thoughts on any particular player or players?

Know that many of you have looked this group over, find myself checking the 2013 Class over from time to time.

See a lot of possibilities of being two or more deep on the defensive side, good thing.

Still crossing my fingers that we move up in the offensive line category.

www.dawgbone.net/commitments2013.html

Looking around, came up with this link. Any wonder that Nick Saban continues to build teams that make their way through the SEC and pickup Crystal when college football ends.

Nick Saban being tagged as a defensive coach, don't buy that. Nick Saban "knows" that offensive and defensive lines are the path to success.

Really don't see a fall from power at Alabama, Nick Saban and Kirby Smart are on one hell of a run.

Question . . . . Wonder how many of these young men Alabama will get? If not all, my bet is they get the ones in this group that they want.

www.al.com/alabamafootball/index.ssf/201...fensive_line_re.html

Along as the crystal keeps being brought to Bama. They will be able to pick and choose who they want and not have to settle for what's left. Not saying that we do not get talented players but if you get to choose it will make a difference in the long run if it is by just 5 yards. It all begins and ends in the trenches. I for one am glad that it seams like we're starting to see the light.

DAWGtm, a lot of things are said about Nick Saban and the way he "controls" Alabama football. I would go a step or two further, seems to me that he is controlling college football.

Many or maybe most of the recruits that select Alabama say their reason is that playing for Alabama gets them much closer to the NFL than playing for other universities. I think the reason that many go on to the NFL is because there is continuity in the program. It is called playing by Saban's rules, he has the formula for progression.

If Saban is breaking the rules as some suggest, don't think that he stands alone in that area. All one has to do is check some other universities out and we see just how far the NCAA rules can be stretched. Did I mention Auburn?

Not going to get too riled up about the NCAA, just hope that Emmert leaves before the start of college football this season.

Edit: Several of us on this board have been vocal about Kublanow. This is what we need on the offensive line.

•Funniest story from a recruiting trip? “It was probably have to be seeing Robert Nkemdiche at Clemson. After the state championship game (in 2011, when Grayson beat Walton), I saw him at Clemson.. I had told some people that I had kicked his (butt), which I did. He had read some ESPN article where it said I had kicked his (butt). I guess he wasn’t happy about it. He came up to me with a bunch of his boys, and he was whining about it. He was like ‘I saw the article. That was cute.’ He showed me his state championship ring. I told him to ‘Go back and watch the film.’”

•Who was the best player you went up against in high school? “Probably Montravius Adams. I thought he was (darn) good. He was strong as heck. Montravius or Carl Lawson.Carl has got a lot of moves. He’s good. And he got a long stronger his senior year.”