A Realistic View -- UGA Football

There has been a lot of conversation on this and others sites about the "health" of our football program. Know that I have questioned it a lot, many of the regular posters on this board have done so.

There are some that are reluctant to post when it comes down to what is basically the truth. The truth that needs to be recognized and discussed.

Hardcore Georgia football folks have been around the same block many times, and it seems that consistently we end up in the same place.

The changes that I agree with and have for many years is listening to hardcore Georgia football folks, not the media folks that are privy to much, but like some posters, not ready to give up their seats in Butts-Mehre. Have said that before, and believe it to be totally true. No story, no pay, or soon to be no job.

Trying to be realistic last night watching the National Championship Game, this thought crossed my mind . . . . Could Georgia play either Ohio State or Oregon and make a game of it? Came to me . . . . we have the football talent, we do not have the same leadership that wears the head coaching hat.

I believe that Mike Bobo and Will Friend left for Colorado State University for the same reason that I am typing this. The "stuff" that is going on behind the scenes is burying a program that has appeared to be dead for several years.

Now we see new coaches being hired, we also see McGarity doing his usual nonsensical garbage surrounding hires and raises.

If the Athletic Director and the Head Coach are at each others throat, everyone involved with the program is aware. Like walking on egg shells.

When is the last time anyone has seen a "disturbance" between an Athletic Director and Head Coach that there were not consequences for both the players and fans? Think about the numerous times in college and NFL ranks we have watched the team and fans suffer because of BS stuff between two "supposed" leaders.

Public Realations Department hard at work, along with many of the media sites trying to convince the fan base that all is well. It is not. Just hiring/replacing coaches does not get to the root cause.

Yes, Pruitt could have walked and made at least the last sum given to him in a "grand way". That happened because of the negligent folks that are said to be running the UGA Football Program. Something does not change quickly, Pruitt will have the defense playing Erk football again, but on his "departure" the program will again fall to the depths of the Willie Martinez time on campus.

Leadership needed, however it is not a "requirement" in the Classic City. All of the talent that is in Athens right now should make many of us wonder why the leaders of the offense would move to Colorado. I know, they were fed up with the "supposed leadership" in Athens. They had seen the same play, scene 1 before.

Let me see if I am close to being reasonable . . . .

urban meyer coaches the gators to two (2) National Championships.

urban meyer last night coached the Buckeyes to "another" National Championship, last National Championship in the Buckeye State was 2002.

Ohio State and the gators have better football players than Georgia or better football coaches?

Our last National Championship 1980.

Appears to me that some coaches play for National Championship and say so. Other coaches are content to play in a lesser bowl.

Have read on this board that anyone thinking that Mark Richt does not want to win a National Championship is off course. Don't disagree with that assumption. In this thread not asking if Mark Richt wants to win a National Championship . . . . asking if Mark Richt has the football knowledge to win a NC.

I think Bobo and Friend moving on are part of the natural progression. Not much more Bobo could do in his current role so if he wanted to be an HC, CSU was the right time and place. Friend gets a promotion, so unless he wanted to remain a position coach, makes sense to go with an HC he's familiar with. Not too much to read into those moves imo. If BM hadn't been "taken care of" and had moved on, that would have been a far worse sign.

Thing is, now the org chart below AD and HC is filled with very ambitious and capable folks. They will not stick around a place where 10-3 and #9 in the nation is considered a success. If Pruitt leaves after year #2 and the Schottenheimer does the same and BM and JR move on to better opportunities and nothing more has been accomplished, then we'll really know that the ceiling has been achieved and the realistic view will be "...pretty good is good enough...".

Don't think many will be happy with that. Of course, we're not in the arena.

Good points dawgs_fans_dad.

What little I can gather, there is more and it will surface soon.

My understanding about the tension between CMR and McG centered on CMR being ticked about losing Bobo, not paying the coaches and the possibility of a complete IMPLOSION if Pruitt left the program etc.

Morehead, who is a "football guy" had enough and stepped in and told McG to get this done. Too late for Bobo but more money for the coaches among other items I feel sure. I heard he flexed his muscles a bit and had had enough. If true, good on Morehead to get tightwad McG off his wallet.

Anybody else hear this about Morehead stepping in?

Well it's already started in January:


Dale Zanine/USA TODAY SportsBehind running back Nick Chubb, the road to Atlanta -- and potentially beyond -- sets up nicely for the Dawgs.

Now that we're hours away from watching Oregon take on Ohio State in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game Presented by AT&T, it makes sense to peer into the not-so-distant future and try to find teams that could -- and should -- compete for conference titles and then some in 2015.

When I look at Georgia, I see a team that appears to be a quarterback away from making a deep run through the SEC and hopping into the second-ever College Football Playoff. And really, the Bulldogs could be the best-equipped team in the SEC for such a season.

Much has been made of coach Mark Richt, who is now 136-48 at Georgia, and his lack of titles. It's been a decade full of missed opportunities since Georgia's last SEC title, but 2015 could

Offensively, the Bulldogs might have the SEC's best returning running back in Nick Chubb, along with a deep receiving corps, while the defense returns just about everyone from a group that vastly improved under first-year defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt in 2014.

Georgia isn't the perfect team, and won't be the nation's preseason No. 1, but the parts are there for a very big season. And if the Bulldogs fall short of at least a trip to Atlanta for the SEC championship game, there will be a lot of justifiably upset Dawgs fans.

It's time for Georgia to get out of its own way and go win the SEC title before "Georgiaing" replaces "Clemsoning."

Yes, the quarterback situation -- which will be headed by current redshirt freshman Brice Ramsey, redshirt sophomore Faton Bauta and true freshman Jacob Park -- is a little hazy at the moment due to relative inexperience, but there are enough weapons returning on this offense for me to be comfortable throwing the ball. And don't expect any wholesale scheme changes under new offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer.

As long as the Dawgs are constantly feeding Chubb the ball, that offense will be fine. Much like Todd Gurley, Chubb plays like he's from a different planet. He rushed for 1,547 yards and 14 touchdowns in just eight starts. When Gurley started 12 games as a freshman, he ran for 1,385 yards and 17 touchdowns. Chubb also averaged 7.1 yards per carry compared to Gurley's 6.2. I'm not trying to say that Chubb is better than Gurley, which he very well could be, but I think the running game is in good hands with the youngster.

Also, don't forget about the speedy, elusive Sony Michel, who could have a bigger role in the offense this fall as well.

The offensive line returns four starters, all upperclassmen. Veterans Malcolm Mitchell and speedy Justin Scott-Wesley lead a talented, young receiving corps that should make up for the losses of Chris Conley and Michael Bennett.

And that's all before we get to what should be an even better defense in 2015. Pruitt did a masterful job getting players adjusted to his defensive philosophy and how he wanted guys to approach games and practice, and he will have an even older group to work with in 2015. The key was getting rush specialists Jordan Jenkins and Leonard Floyd back. They could have flirted with the NFL, but decided to stay in Athens, which was the right move. The two combined for 11 sacks last year, but freshman Lorenzo Carter, who took some starts away from Floyd in 2014, could be a really special player after registering 4.5 sacks, seven tackles for loss and 17 quarterback hurries.

The defensive line will need some retooling with a couple of seniors gone, but the rotation last year was good enough to get guys such as Sterling Bailey and Josh Dawson quality snaps.

Then, there's the secondary that outside of veteran Damian Swann was almost completely comprised of underclassmen, who matured and improved steadily as the season went on. Georgia finished the year second in the SEC in pass defense (170.4 yards per game) and didn't allow any team to pass for more than 142 yards in the final month of the regular season.

The schedule sets up nicely, too. Georgia has two road games within the first month -- Vanderbilt and Tennessee. The Bulldogs get Alabama, South Carolina and Missouri at home before trips to Auburn and Georgia Tech. Tennessee certainly won't be a walk in the park, but Florida and South Carolina are considerable unknowns and both Alabama and Missouri lose a lot from this season.

The bottom line is that this team is loaded and the road to Atlanta -- and potentially beyond -- sets up nicely for the Dawgs. It was set up well this season and Georgia didn't take advantage. That can't happen in 2015. With the state of the East and the strength of the Dawgs, it's unacceptable for the team not to make it to Atlanta. There's little room for excuses for the Dawgs.

Dawgs fans are rightfully restless and tired of the continuous shortcomings. Richt engineered the last title run, and he has a team capable of accomplishing that feat again.