From Athens -Friday Thoughts - 13-12-19

Good Morning All,

Local fish wrapper had a article on how HC and staff are approaching this upcoming Sugar Bowl differently than our last folly.

Not trying to read the Tea Leaves but…. After the cluster of our last trip to New Orleans…. Kirby had all the staff members ….. write a what went wrong report….. this included the off field administration personnel….. looking for honest input …..

I honestly believe that the whole issue of players sitting out plus the team and coaches feeling they were slighted by the CFP committee was all new to Kirby…..as a HC….. not so this time around….

We will show up with a different mindset….. In the same article Kirby acknowledged he was caught flat footed with his lack of recruiting of WR’s since 2017….

Just a hunch… but imho… CKS… is well aware that we must tweak a variety of issues for 2020 season…..

In an earlier post I commented on how we will be able to ponder during the winter months on the forth coming changes to our football team…

Fact remains we have a boatload of football talent already on campus …. With more heading to Athens come the end of January ….then again in late June.

Need to apologize to all our service veterans….. completely overlooked …. Last Saturday as being Pearl Harbor Day

I have shared here before that I have stood on the Arizona Memorial and read the names of those brave sailors who died aboard that ship serving our country… a reminder…..That freedom is not free…..

Pause and give thanks

Have a great weekend and a safe week

As always….. “ Go Dawgs "

Solid stuff in the BPS Yankeedawg1, again makes me think.

On occasion I read an article that also allows me to look at closer and put in my two cents worth.

Worth noting in the article that Coach Matt Luke is noted for tough offensive line play. Also noted in the article is Coach Matt Luke believes in a solid running game. Can see one of the reasons that Coach Kirby Smart hired Luke. Kirby not by happenstance, Kirby by choice believes in run first, sometimes, second and third. That is not a shot at Kirby Smart, it is simply giving my opinion on what I have seen since Smart's arrival in Athens. When a team has a group of talented running backs, an offensive line that is recognized as one of the best in the nation by many, say again, fits into the plan that Alabama won several Nattys using this approach.

Back to this . . . . I do not and cannot accept what many are saying about Coach James Coley and his lack of ability to run anything different than what we have witnessed in 2019. Just ain't so. Smart had the good fortune to bring Matt Luke to Athens, that in my opinion works well for the current philosphy being used by Kirby. Smart apologizes for not recruiting better in the area of wide receiver earlier. I buy that, but have to be honest, liked the idea of one of the best offensive lines in the country and a star studded group of running backs lining up in 2019.

Guess the back and forth now is why did we continue to run the football against stacked defenses. Not really hard to understand, we were wide receiver short, meaning not a group that can line up and play against strong defensive backfields. That was proven over and over in 2019. Is that Coach Coleys fault, I say not. Believe that our head coach needs to advance into "Nick Saban Process Number Two". Love the running game, but . . . . college football has changed, easy to understand, mobile quarterbacks and wide receivers along with "pass catching tight ends" have changed college football forever.

Someone has to explain to me how we improve to the point that facing off with the likes of LSU will be just another game. Ain't so, never will be. Explain to me how Coach Coley could have done anything differently and beat a team like LSU for the SEC Championship. Have watched the game again, has been shown on SEC Network, from the starting whistle, tossing the ball downfield. Too bad a connection was not made, but it was probably our best chance to make LSU consider softening the box.

For those that want Mike Bobo back or should say, wanted Mike Bobo back, I suppose that some have forgotten some of his years in Athens as OC. Bobo will have a "free" hand in Columbia, Muschamp will not get in Bobo's way. From where I sit, Coach Smart might adopt the same policy in regards to Coach Coley. I always keep in mind that everyone has their right to an opinion . . . . my opinion is in Athens, Coley needs to be allowed to be Coley.

One more thing . . . . Coach Kirby Smart has made some "bonehead" calls since his arrival. Who hasn't at one time or another? Little doubt that "Smart knows defense", little doubt in my mind that Kirby Smart has some growing to do as a head coach. Yes, I support Kirby Smart. I defend my right and others that I know that head coaches don't know everything. Offensively, I don't rate Kirby Smart with the top producers of offensive football in the college ranks. Smart's boss Saban brought Lane Kiffin in for one reason . . . . to improve the offensive side of the ball. That happened while Lane Kiffin was in Tuscaloosa. Recruit offensively like we do on defense and points totals will go up.

My opinion . . . . Coach Smart is not a dummy, expect to see offensive changes under "Coach James Coley". Positive changes, Coley can do more, much more than "recruit in South Florida". Bet that. Coley will open up the UGA offense as "wide" as Smart will allow. Bet that also.

www.dawgnation.com/football/georgia-uga-matt-luke-kirby-smart

Coach James Coley did not recruit Marcus Rosemy who plays high school football for one of the "best" teams in Florida to attend Georgia and not have the ball thrown in his direction. Folks in South Florida are really upset with Marcus leaving. This young man will play as a Freshman in 2020. My opinion one missing link at this point, a "pass catching" tight end. Coach Coley knows offensive football. Ease up and allow him to run "his offense".

Buc.... excellent points made in your post...

We have posted many times... HC needs seasoning...

And it’s part of the process....much made of how similar

First four years of Kirby and Richt ... major difference recruiting

We will see in the next four years why CKS was a wise choice...imho..

I can remember how Bozo was blistered here weekly

Not until we had Schotty....did we appreciate Mike...

Wish him well except when we play him...

Sugar Bowl .... Dawgs will be ready..start the new decade with a

Win..... soggy weekend in Athens.

Go Dawgs

And this . . . .

It pains me to say it.
I really admire Jake Fromm, no doubt a great student of the game.
However, looking at the playoff picture, what do the final four have that we don’t,
a dual threat quarterback.
While the lack of receivers undoubtedly sounded the death knell, running quarterbacks are almost a necessity in the college game .