From Athens- Game Day Friday # 4

Good read Buc..

Recruiting and the current problem...

At the risk of posting too much in this thread, I might also add this, and I hope this gives us all a little bright thought when we watch the o-line getting pushed around like a kiddie cart at the grocery store tomorrow in Oxford...

We have to keep in mind that what we are witnessing with the o-line performance is years and years of piss poor line recruiting finally playing out right in our faces. It's time to pay the piper.

Lineman were never a priority of the former staff (as we all know) and yet, this was the first problem on day one that Kirby identified in his press conference with the media. The bleeding hearts will say - "but Coach Richt won ten games with that offensive line each year. Apparently they were good enough for him." This statement shows that whoever says it is purely a fan of the team but not a fan of the game itself. When you have the good fortune of having a string of all-SEC gunslinging QB's, receivers, and running backs year-after-year like CMR did and you run an flex-pro style offense tailored around them, it really masks the line problem. When you get a guy like Kirby that comes in that wants to run a pure pro-style offense where your tailback runs between the tackles 20 out of his 35 carries per game and your QB is a pocket passer, it's gonna become clear pretty quick to all God's children if you don't have an offensive line with the talent/ability to work in that kind of offensive scheme. We don't have it. I'll put it as charitably as I can - these are not the kind of o-lineman that Sam Pittman nor Kirby Smart want. Neither of them would have ever recruited these guys. And you can guarantee - take it to the bank - that this is the worst we're ever going to see an offensive line under Kirby Smart and Sam Pittman. Bet the farm on it. But right now, they have to deal with what they inherited.

Keep reminding yourself of that when you have to suffer through these dismal o-line days. I know it's painful right now, but it's gonna get better fellas, believe me.

(Edit:

I also might add that if any players are reading these posts, I do not intend to insult these guys. Not at all. The system that they were recruited for doesn't exist anymore. It's like getting a new boss at the office who wants to impose a radically different job description for you than the one you've been doing for years. So while my words may sound harsh, it's not personal and it's not to say that these guys aren't trying and working and doing what's asked of them in practice.)

Absolute TRUTH SouthernDawg.

Any person that does not believe what you said above . . . . shows the lack of SEC football knowledge.

You hit many, many points that get my blood flowing at a higher level.

So many folks that post on different sites have not a clue about the days of VD and those that he chose to run "our program" until he was shown the door. Basically the same door that our previous coach was ushered to.

When I read or hear about the 10 win seasons under Richt, and anyone that starts a thread or blog with that, makes me want to ask one simple question . . . . Why was Mark Richt FIRED?"

Why has Mark Richt changed his coaching philosophy since leaving Athens and returning to Miami? SouthernDawg, you know from your past and those that you know that still have automobile tags with the "U" proudly shown.

Takes me to this . . . . It was accepted when Richt was in Athens that he was "hard headed". There were however some that were allowed certain privileges if they were in town for "media days". We know who those folks are and were.

Kirby Smart rides up and now those that had special privileges under Mark Richt no longer have the same ins and outs.

Phrase it any way that anyone wants . . . . If any UGA BACKER believes that we have seen all that will happen between the media and the coaching staff . . . . "HANG TEN", the coach that now resides in Athens/Classic City has rode larger waves and understands how the final "flick" will look after . . . . FULL PRODUCTION.

Say again SouthernDawg, don't stop, you understand x's and o's. Never doubt that many appreciate what is being said and "needs" to be said . . . . by you.

Southern Dawg,

Afraid you are reading the tea leaves on this one, but I am curious to see who can handle adversity, step up, and play. Especially at receivers. We know that the O Line is what it is, but we are supposed to have some young talent catching the ball. There is a chance for some young pup to make his mark. We know Eason can air it out and put it on the money.

Also think that Ole Miss is a brittle team. They have come storming out against two good teams, but when FSU and AL did not fold, the Rebels did. That's why I think the likely scenario is the first half Rebel surge. Can we keep in manageable? Then can we scrap and fight back and make it a game? Hope we get some breaks and come home with a win. But mostly want to see the process continue.

rockdawg, you and SouthernDawg bring a lot of "life" to Dawgs.com.

Hope to see this continue. So many with so much "spot on" on this board.

Could go through a list of names that have made this board a board of "strength". Strength meaning simply understanding the "game", especially the SEC Game of Football.

Read some other sites, read Dawgs.com and analyze. There are some very good sites, Dawgs.com is one of those.

Read the "wrappers" and some others, bet this . . . . There is a group on this site that "speak" football . . . . "freely". No pay for play. There is a "Donate" button, but there is not a requirement to be a member, other than . . . . be a part of a site that welcomes "thoughts". Less "Bull Spit" on this site than any that I read daily.

Have to say this . . . .

The Lady Sportswriter is a favorite of mine. Only site outside of Dawgs.com that I pay close attention to. Kimberley is all that. Kimberley and "Boss" remind me a lot of each other.

Go Dawgs

Buc,

You're too kind, really. I appreciate the words very much. I love chatting UGA with everyone here because I'm positively stuck here. All my UGA friends (and others: UF, FSU, USF, Bama, etc.) that I used to chat dawgs with are back home and we are now relegated to text messages mainly. But we still jaw.

I wish more people would join up or be more active on dawgs.com.

Rockdawg,

I am just like you - I think there is potential for us to step up and win this. Apparently Vegas does too because I'm looking at UGA +7 right now. I fear it's a suckers bet because I don't think it's going to be a 7 point game. But it could be.

These are the type of games that solidify a team's identity. If they pull it out, confidence abounds and things get very interesting because I think this is the hardest game on UGA's schedule all season. UT is no cakewalk, but we know that Ole Miss is a heck of a lot better team than #23. Our receivers have to start catching the ball, ahem, Chigbu. Ahem, Nauta. I sure would like to see a little of Mecole Hardman this game in the slot because we simply don't have the luxury of having 5-stars burning time. McKenzie needs help. They cannot continue to let that guy take the pounding he's been taking on his frame and expect him to be a long term asset. I think we're going to be seeing less of the tight ends this season because they're going to be too busy helping the o-line block. And I know that has to fry Chaney's pickles because he loves utilizing tight ends. It is what it is.

As an aside - the UT/UF game is interesting. I'm taking FL at +10 because their defense is legit. May be one of the best in the nation.

Buc,

When I found this site and compared it to the typical "journalism" junk, I was reminded of John Wayne throwing Patrick Wayne off his horse and telling him, "If you can't learn to respect your elders, then I'll teach you to respect your betters."

Great discussions here. Great Dawg fans here. Go Dawgs and Go Dawgs.com!