Hands down the best pre game write up on the ‘net. Enjoy.
http://viewfrom336.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/2010-Week-03-Ark1.pdf
Game Time Decision on A.J.?
Word has leaked out that A.J. Green didn’t get his appeal today. He won’t get it tomorrow. No, the NCAA will not hear the plea until Friday. Friday? What’s the wait?
So what is it exactly the NC Double A-holes are waiting on? Coach Richt and the university made it known a week ago that they were appealing the four game suspension. Does it take a week to field a phone call?
If you’re planning on telling me “they need to get their info together”, I tell you to consider this – look at the prior appeals, ALL this season.
Jeremiah Masoli, deemed ineligible on August 31st. He regained his eligibility September 3rd.
Marcell Dareus of Alabama was involved in the “Great Agentgate of 2010”. Two trips to Miami, hotel, airfare, who knows what else, and he’s given the industry standard four game suspension. But wait, those damn “mitigating circumstances” pop up and – voila!, suspension magically reduced to two games. No appeal necessary! Two games for taking trips from agents to an agent’s party totaling somewhere in the neighborhood of $1800. Yeah, two games is sufficient.
And now we get to A.J. He sells a jersey for roughly a grand (selling an autographed jersey IS against the rules), but it’s who he sold it to is what has gotten him in all the hot water. Chris Hawkins may possibly be an agent, or could one day become an agent, oh hell, they’re sure he at least knows an agent. A.J. loses 1/3 of what is likely his last season in college football. Green and UGA file an appeal, as they should. They heard back from the NCAA today. WEDNESDAY! Almost a full week since they announced the intention to appeal! And then, the trial judge, jury, and appellate circuit of college football punishment have said they will graciously hear the appeal on Friday.
So, NCAA, punish the player? You’re punishing the team! They must prepare for yet another conference matchup with the fate of their star player hanging in the balance. I would say that would be somewhat of a distraction.
How about try this: Investigate, make a ruling, decide to hear an appeal, collect your thoughts (although, realistically, you should already have the facts you need, you have just doled out punishment. It’s just to double check any precedents to see if you were fair), and set up the appeal no less than 24 hours later. Are you too busy for a half hour phone call the next day?
I’ve heard the argument “maybe there’s more to the story, that’s why it’s taking so long”. That’s not the case. This is nothing more than the NCAA overcompensating for years of lack of relevance.
FREE A.J.!
Game Time Announced
UGA vs. IDAHO STATE
NOVEMBER 6 @ 12:30
WSB-TV 
Enough with the A.J. talk! This is the info I look for these days when I get a UGA press release! At least there is a bit of good news – The game will be broadcast for free on WSB-TV. That, and with all the early games this season, you should have your Bloody Mary perfected by then.
Time for Change
Don’t let my disappointment so far this season fool you – I’m still very upbeat about this years squad’s potential. I do, however, think there are some changes that must be made.
No, no wholesale changes are needed. We don’t need new coaches. We have very talented athletes. But some things need to change on a philosophical and psychological level if this team is to realize its potential this year. It starts at the top.
As far as coaching goes, the “don’t make mistakes” philosophy needs to be replaced by “go make plays”. A big deal has been made about Aaron Murray being too reigned in, but there are other players on the roster who deserve a shot to let their talent shine. Keep in mind, this may not be the week to go forward with all of these, as Arkansas has a very potent, pass happy offense. These are in no particular order:
Alec Ogletree. The prized recruit of the 2010 class hit a setback when arrested for stealing a moped helmet. He sat out the ULL game, a game he surely would have seen significant playing time. I wouldn’t recommend giving him his first SEC test against the likes of Ryan Mallet, although, I think he would have been a major help on the defense last week. He may make a mistake or two in coverage on occasion, but he will end up being one of the best tackling safetys UGA has had since the Blue/Davis combo half a decade ago. Who knows, maybe he could have tackled Lattimore.
Kwame Geathers. Yes, another Freshman. But this one’s a redshirt, so he has a little bit of extra seasoning under his belt. If Bean Anderson was switched to DT because he had trouble with assignments on the OL, and his new position requires more firing off the ball than surveying multiple alignments and shifts, then why can’t Geathers get in the game and just play? Coaches say he has some of the quickest feet of all the D-lineman, and is one of the strongest. Let him play, and let’s see if Uncle Jumpy taught him how to forklift.
Carlton Thomas. Tremendous talent who plays like he has everything to prove. So he’s small, big deal. Tyson Browning was tiny, and he saved our asses multiple times (and that play in LSU which should have saved our asses). Thomas may not be the best man on the field to help pass block, but consider the change of pace factor he offers. Ealey and King should no doubt get the bulk of the carries, but throw Thomas in from time to time. The way he waterbugs around out there is sure to frustrate a defense that’s already being worn down from the pounding coming from two runners who come right at them.
Others to consider for more playing time: Nick Williams – S, A.J. Harmon – OG, Bruce Figgins – TE (keep Charles or White on the field, but flex them out), and Branden Smith – on offense!
The psychology of this team is in need of desperate change. The D was absolutely shell shocked in Columbia, and reverted back to the arm tackling ways of the past. I’m confident Coach Grantham and Coach Belin will be able to correct this issue. The D played scared, but I know these two coaches will convince this defense that they are the intimidators.
On offense, same thing, but a more difficult fix. Richt says he’ll take the reigns off Murray, but that remains to be seen. We hear something similiar about a different player every season. So the jury is still out on that. Bobo needs to get out of the mindset that points are points. Yes, field goals can win games. But that doesn’t always work (see 9/11/2010 @ USC). The offense needs to attack and set the pace. Score some damn touchdowns!
This team is good. This team has talent. This team has experience.
The pieces are in place, so let’s get this puzzle put together.
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MURRAY WILL WIN!
Don’t let Aaron Murray’s boyish looks and childlike zeal for the game fool you – he’s more than ready to play quarterback in the SEC. So let him play, Coach Richt.
Head Coach Mark Richt and Offensive Coordinator Mike Bobo both admitted after the loss to South Carolina that they think it’s time to “take the reigns off” of Murray. I ask, what’s taking so long?
Sometimes it seems to me that UGA and its coaches are the only ones in the country who baby their young quarterbacks. It’s one thing if you’re talking about a true freshman who’s only been enrolled in school for three months. Murray is a redshirt freshman who graduated high school a semester early to get a head start on his college football career. He’s been in the system for 18 months. You couldn’t convince me at this point that he doesn’t have a firm grasp on the playbook, or that he lacks the ability to execute it. On the contrary, Richt and Bobo have nothing but praise for their young signal caller.
“We’ve just got to allow him to play ball. We’ve got to treat him more like a veteran.”, Richt said after the loss to South Carolina.
Well Coach, essentially, he is a veteran. He’s been in the program the same length of time as the average player finishing up their Sophomore year. Now it’s time to let him play like it.
If Richt and Bobo decide to not “take the reigns off” soon, you can probably expect more outcomes this season similar to this past Saturday. Unfortunately, if that’s the case, that could become a reality next Saturday.
DAWGS NEED TO SNAP OUT OF “SISSY BALL”
The season opener this year for the Dawgs had me very excited. True, it was a far inferior opponent. But the Bulldogs played to win. There seemed to be a new attitude in Athens.
Oh how we were fooled.
UGA came out against South Carolina on Saturday and reverted to the“sissy ball” fans have become accustomed to over the past few years. The coaches lacked fire, the offense lacked imagination, and the defense lacked the ability to make a tackle. Marcus Lattimore is good, really good. But the Dawgs D made him look like the second coming of George Rogers.
Then, what’s becoming all too familiar, Coach Richt gives the ho-hum we’re going try new things/get our playmakers in position to make plays/we’re on top of it speech that follows every embarrassing loss.
Yes, this loss was embarrassing. You don’t get pushed around in all facets of the game (ok, minus our field goal unit which was perfect again) and not be embarrassed. I’m sure the players are embarrassed. The coaches should be so red-faced they don’t want to be seen in public. Once again, that’s not the case.
Richt has gotten into a really bad habit of making excuses. Usually, this involves deflecting the blame to some other person or unit on the team. I used to buy into it all with no questions asked; blindly loyal to the man in charge of our beloved football team.
But I was expecting things to be different this year. New coaches at almost every position on defense made me giddy. Seeing the fire from Coach Grantham in the first game after a blown defensive play got me so excited, I just knew Georgia was on its way back to the top of the SEC.
I shouldn’t be able to sit on my couch and call the next offensive play correctly. It’s as though we only have a couple of different plays that we run on given down and distances. Richt then says after the game that the plan was stellar, it just lacked execution. I’m calling BS!
Speaking of BS, why didn’t Branden Smith touch the ball?
RED ZONE MORE LIKE THE BLUE ZONE BLUES FOR UGA
Three trips. Two Field Goals. One Turnover.
There’s a troubling, yet not too unfamiliar, trend with Georgia Bulldog football.
Failure to execute in the red zone was one of the biggest differences in the game at South Carolina. From bobbled passes, to fumbles, to false starts; the ineptness inside the opponents 20 yard line is maddening.
No doubt having A.J. Green in the lineup would have changed the Dawgs’ strategy so close to the end zone. But not having #8 is no excuse, you must utilize the talent a skillsets you have available. Green isn’t the only player on the roster who can catch a pass across the goal line.
Georgia tends to play a bit too conservatively when they get close to pay dirt. Either trying to pound it in with tailback and fullback runs, or swing passes to the fullback in the flats seem to be the favorite play calls inside the 20. Rarely, even moreso without Green in the lineup, do the Bulldogs call a pass that actually travels into the end zone. I understand there’s less margin of error with everyone packed in so tightly, but there’s hardly ever any reward that doesn’t come with at least a little risk.
The fade stop to Kris Durham in week one was a beauty. Pretty much an un-guardable play. Quick outs, quick slants, and the traditional fade route are all equally effective as well. The Georgia Red Zone Offense offers too much predictability. I’m not asking for double reverses or flea flickers or anything like that, but a touch of creativity would be nice.
The point is, if you don’t cross the Goal Line, you get no points.
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