Vandy, and Other CFB Oddities

Today I was reading an article at CFN about the Vandy game, and the writer made an interesting prognostication or two (I apologize for not having the link.)

1) "At some point, Georgia will Georgia," as a preface to a reason Vandy might win. Of course, the writer wasn't predicting a Vandy victory, but the point made me stop and think. Given the last decade or so...I get this point of view. I mean, how many times have the dawgs been their own worst enemy?

Ironically, last year's Vandy game is a case in point of games we've lost that should have been won. A quick perusal of prior seasons contains many such instances, and it has almost become a Georgia tradition to disappoint. It made me realize that, while I've thoroughly enjoyed the season so far, there is a part of me waiting for us to....Georgia. So here's where I think we recognize a fundamental shift in the development of the program, and something I touched upon in another post. When we stop.losing games we ought to win, when we stop allowing lesser opponents to hang arounf, then we'll know that things have truly changed. Not that we won't lose, or get tripped up--this is college ball after all, but when we shake the perennial tradition of underachievement, it is then that we can feel confident that the ship has been righted.

The second prognostication was that, at some point, Jake Fromm will Jake Fromm. I took this to mean that we will eventually lose because our Freshman QB will allow the enormity of the game to get the better of his inexperience. That's an interesting take for a few reasons: 1) it assumes that Jacob Eason won't win back the starting job, and 2) it assumes that Jake Fromm hasnt already passed that point.

I'm pretty sure Eason wants the helm, and he certainly has the talent to be the number 1 again. Anyone who has watched Jake Fromm has to know that this guy plays, if not like a veteran, at least like somebody who believes he should be there. So far, the "Jake Fromming" has worked out quite well and i, for one, look forward to seeing more of it.

Finally, on ESPNU this morning, the talking heads were discussing how valuable offensive linemen were. One of the guys dropped this gem: "Outside of Alabama, Clemson or Georgia, who in college football has a good o line?" Now, I'll give that our o line play is improving, but to be mentioned in that context is surreal. We're nowhere near that level on the offensive side of the ball. We COULD be, but there's work to be done. Isn't it amazing that, once you become the darling-du-jour of the game based on a small body of work, what those supposedly in the know miss. This is probably why Ohio State gets ranked so highly every year. Sheesh.

Right on target, with all of that. I've had a feeling of impending doom lately, wondering when the shoe's going to drop. I sincerely hope we're past that point, because the losses-that -should've - been-wins have killed too many seasons.

Limey...

In response to each point...

1. Georgia pulling a "Georgia"

Honestly this can be said just about any program out there, sans Alabama, but even to a much lesser degree, Bama. For years and years, Clemson had the dubious tag line of "Clemsoning" attached to it's program. They were always good to drop a game they weren't supposed to, then it changed. Florida State the same thing. Historically, FSU struggles mightily with NC State and Wake Forest. Oklahoma was the same way under Big Game Bob Stoops. I get the fact that the ghosts of Richt still haunt this program, but I do believe that those demons are being exorcised on a weekly basis since CKS got into town. Is it realistic, every season, to run out the schedule 12-0? No. So far this season, we've seen a tectonic shift in how Georgia handles "lesser opponents." Every indication I see is that this team is focused, disciplined, and aware that humility is only a week away. I'm actually glad to hear some doubting talking heads out there because I honestly believe the hype around this program has been a bit absurd (see later point about the adulation for the o-line). But even mighty Alabama drops a game now and again that they're not supposed to.

So far this season, lesser opponents have NOT hung around, they've had their asses handed to them on a platter. That's a very good sign, and truly the best indication that the philosophy has completely changed in Athens and the players have embraced it. How many games did we witness during the CMR era that afterwards, we said "it looked like they didn't even get off the bus?" Plenty. Too damn many to count. So far this season, I haven't seen such a demeanor from this team.

2. Fromm is a horse of a different color. Buc compared him to Aaron Murray, and I couldn't agree more. That's not to say he's beyond freshman stupidity, but the maturity and poise out of that young man so far is that of a sophomore or even an early junior and not a freshman. Fromm took some serious hits in that Tennessee game and he bounced right back sharper than before. I knew the hits were coming at some point, and I was anxiously awaiting to see how he dealt with it. He passed that test with flying colors. Fromm should have been picked three times instead of once in that Tennessee game, but even after he threw the pick, he came right back and looked sharp again. If Fromm is going to Fromm, expect the lessons to be learned quickly and completely. I once had a boss that said "I don't mind you making mistakes, just don't make them twice." Fromm seems to get it. The fact that we are where we are with a true freshman QB is a gift, and if it weren't for Fromm's ability to not "pull a Fromm," we'd probably be 4-1 right now. I honestly don't think Eason is winning back the starting job, but I do think he starts splitting snaps. If at any time Eason starts looking shaky out there, displaying a lack of confidence or a lack of accuracy, his chances of winning back that starting job are permanently foreclosed on.

3. I agree, that is utterly absurd to hear them lumping Georgia's o-line in with Bama or Clemson. This line has gotten much better, but they're a far cry from Bama or Clemson. On size alone, they're not in that same category. Our o-line is last in the SEC in overall size. They've played very well the last few games and I can most definitely see improvement. That said, let Kirby and Sam Pittman have three more years of recruiting and then we'll see an o-line worthy of comparison to that of Clemson or Alabama.

Exactly

SouthernDawg wrote: Limey...

In response to each point...

1. Georgia pulling a "Georgia"

Honestly this can be said just about any program out there, sans Alabama, but even to a much lesser degree, Bama. For years and years, Clemson had the dubious tag line of "Clemsoning" attached to it's program. They were always good to drop a game they weren't supposed to, then it changed. Florida State the same thing. Historically, FSU struggles mightily with NC State and Wake Forest. Oklahoma was the same way under Big Game Bob Stoops. I get the fact that the ghosts of Richt still haunt this program, but I do believe that those demons are being exorcised on a weekly basis since CKS got into town. Is it realistic, every season, to run out the schedule 12-0? No. So far this season, we've seen a tectonic shift in how Georgia handles "lesser opponents." Every indication I see is that this team is focused, disciplined, and aware that humility is only a week away. I'm actually glad to hear some doubting talking heads out there because I honestly believe the hype around this program has been a bit absurd (see later point about the adulation for the o-line). But even mighty Alabama drops a game now and again that they're not supposed to.

So far this season, lesser opponents have NOT hung around, they've had their asses handed to them on a platter. That's a very good sign, and truly the best indication that the philosophy has completely changed in Athens and the players have embraced it. How many games did we witness during the CMR era that afterwards, we said "it looked like they didn't even get off the bus?" Plenty. Too damn many to count. So far this season, I haven't seen such a demeanor from this team.

2. Fromm is a horse of a different color. Buc compared him to Aaron Murray, and I couldn't agree more. That's not to say he's beyond freshman stupidity, but the maturity and poise out of that young man so far is that of a sophomore or even an early junior and not a freshman. Fromm took some serious hits in that Tennessee game and he bounced right back sharper than before. I knew the hits were coming at some point, and I was anxiously awaiting to see how he dealt with it. He passed that test with flying colors. Fromm should have been picked three times instead of once in that Tennessee game, but even after he threw the pick, he came right back and looked sharp again. If Fromm is going to Fromm, expect the lessons to be learned quickly and completely. I once had a boss that said "I don't mind you making mistakes, just don't make them twice." Fromm seems to get it. The fact that we are where we are with a true freshman QB is a gift, and if it weren't for Fromm's ability to not "pull a Fromm," we'd probably be 4-1 right now. I honestly don't think Eason is winning back the starting job, but I do think he starts splitting snaps. If at any time Eason starts looking shaky out there, displaying a lack of confidence or a lack of accuracy, his chances of winning back that starting job are permanently foreclosed on.

3. I agree, that is utterly absurd to hear them lumping Georgia's o-line in with Bama or Clemson. This line has gotten much better, but they're a far cry from Bama or Clemson. On size alone, they're not in that same category. Our o-line is last in the SEC in overall size. They've played very well the last few games and I can most definitely see improvement. That said, let Kirby and Sam Pittman have three more years of recruiting and then we'll see an o-line worthy of comparison to that of Clemson or Alabama.

Well let’s be honest here on point #1.. Yeah Clemson would Clemson and such... usually once a year... not 3 times a year... every year. Georgia took “pulling a Georgia” to a new level. I have no qualm with anyone who is waiting for the shoe to drop until that shoe just doesn’t fall. Early on though this opinion wasn’t getting many “likes”. I guess as we move on it’s becoming a bit more en-vogue.

#2.. Fromm is a horse of a different color. Buc.. and others... compared him to Murray early on. Some said he just has that “it” factor. I’m not knocking Eason but in another thread here it was mentioned that Fromm was here because he wanted to play for Georgia and Eason was here because it was a program known to produce NFLers and the promise of starting as a frosh greatly increased the liklihood of the next level after the junior year.
Well yeah... many of us threw this around while the past regime was in charge. This is what was meant when we talked about the fallacy of the greatness of UGA’s recruiting.. Which one ya want?.. the 5 star who comes here for promises of the next level or the 4 star who has wanted to be Dawg his entire life? Easy answer, huh? Too bad that hasn’t always been our thought process.

I hate to think a guy loses a job due to injury and I get Fromm’s a frosh who at some point is going to frosh, but if I look at it honestly I am not sure Eason was that far ahead of him anyway even before the injury. It has got to be Fromm’s job to lose at this point. I think everyone here agrees on this point.

#3.. The O-line?
Please... we are not at that level. That is a comment from someone looking at a few highlights and game results only. They’ve played at an acceptable level and have gotten better, but this team with a ‘Bama or Clemson O-line would be scary on the ground. As it stands some incredible RB’s have made the line look a bit better than it has really performed.


We want those ghosts of UGA past to go away... so let’s to mash Vandy. Don’t forget though they played the Gaydors pretty tough.

The gayturds are very lucky not to have two SEC losses already