This week we aren’t going to spend as much time on the actual game because Kent State won’t be much of a challenge, and most of us won’t be able to figure out how to stream it anyway. This column will be quicker than Matt Boling running down an ice covered Baxter Hill.
Three Observations
3. Dial it down a notch. I’m going to come across as schizophrenic as a coked-out Russian mail-order bride, but I think we need to dial back the hyperbole around this team. Yes, I am the same person who said to stop and smell the roses during this golden age of Georgia football. But some of these people have taken it too far.
The same pundits who didn’t believe the Bulldogs had a chance until after Kelee Ringo handed them the pick-six game ball are trying to pretend they never doubted.
“Georgia is the new Alabama.” - Well, maybe.
“There’s Georgia, then there's everyone else” - Yes, so far.
“This Georgia team is better than last year’s. It is a machine of death.” - Okay now, settle down.
“Stetson Bennett is 7 feet tall. He killѕ mеn bу the hundreds. And if HE wеrе hеrе, he'd соnѕumе the Engliѕh with firеbаllѕ frоm his еуеѕ, аnd bоltѕ оf lightning frоm his аrѕе.” - We’ve gone full Braveheart.
Ok, that last one was made up but the overcorrection by the experts looks a bit like that. Georgia has some warts. Teams are going to exploit the inexperience in the secondary and among the inside linebackers. Jalen Carter doesn’t have the same support staff that he did last year in the interior. So far, it hasn’t been an issue because the Dawgs faced a first-year head coach, a small private Christian school from Alabama, and a godawful South Carolina team led by a seventh-year resident assistant working on his French Lit. master’s thesis.
The Bulldogs are a blast to watch and are going to pillage a lot of teams worse than Ivar the Boneless. I’m just saying ignore the pundits with egg on their face and listen when Kirby Smart says the team has some issues to overcome.
2. Kirby can’t recruit quarterbacks. There has been a lot of gnashing of teeth on the recruiting trail when it comes to Georgia and quarterbacks of late. It reached a fever pitch when the Bulldogs missed out on Arch Manning. The UGA staff had gone Arch or bust, with some side trips into the recruitment of Dante Moore and Nico Iamaleava. And as each domino fell, the Bulldogs’ reputation took more cheap shots than an Auburn frat boy at the Iron Bowl.
The silver lining in all of this was that UGA would be perfectly set up to land a Class of 2024 five-star quarterback. But now Julian Sayin is visiting LSU this weekend and the frustration among those who follow recruiting has increased. But if Georgia wants Sayin, the No. 2 QB on the board for next year, I am confident that the Dawgs can land him. Let’s look at Smart’s history.
5-star Jacob Eason
5-star Jake Fromm
5-star Justin Fields
4-star Carson Beck
4-star D’Wan Mathis
5-star JT Daniels
5-star Brock Vandagriff
4-star Gunner Stockton
And Georgia won a title with a former walk-on, so the negative recruiting angle about “Kirby can’t develop” seems a little silly. And we don't always know who they want. Where does this kid sit on their list? The point is, Smart and Todd Monken will get their man. They always do.
1. Flashes of greatness. Well, not quite, but the Kent State Golden Flashes are not terrible. Their defense resembles the Arkansas defense Georgia faced last year. Thus, look for the Bulldogs to have success on inside runs and play action passes dropping behind the linebackers. Kent State runs a 3-3-5 defense with a free roaming safety in the middle, a hit man. Georgia will need to nuetralize him.
The Kent State quarterback, Collin Schlee, may be the best signal caller Georgia has faced so far. That’s partly because he’s the real deal and partly because the previous “top quarterbacks' ' UGA faced couldn’t score at a Florida Tri-Delt party. Schlee will execute a lot of RPOs but then take a lot of deep shots, similar to how Tennessee attacks a defense
Two Questions
2. Is it time to move the track? I have many fond memories of covering the Spec Towns invitational back when I worked for the Athletic Association. The Georgia track on Lumpkin street is a great landmark and well used by the nearby community.
But it needs to go. And it will at some point. UGA has two grass practice fields but they are laid end to end. Smart wants two of them side by side. Having that will increase practice efficiency, one of Smart’s top priorities given the limited time they have during the week. Georgia should move the track out to the sports complex on Milledge. Build the nation’s best track with ridiculous facilities. The Dawgs already have a national title-winning coach. Give her the best facilities to help recruiting. It would be a win-win for football and track.
1. Who plays this weekend? As we previously noted, I am still not expecting to see AD Mitchell play in this game. Also, Georgia won’t need to use Jalen Carter much, so he can come in for certain packages like he did against South Carolina.
One prediction
I expect the score to be uglier than next year’s home schedule. Georgia will win. But I expect to see speedy wide receiver Arian Smith at least dress out. He’s freakishly ahead of schedule. I am beginning to think he’s part starfish considering how quickly he has regenerated a working ankle. He might even get in for some safe plays, just to get him back on the field slowly. This is a big deal considering at one point his family thought he was done for the year. If he makes it out there, I hope the fans in Sanford Stadium go nuts.
P.S. If you missed it earlier, we are giving away a free bottle of bourbon on every postgame show on our YouTube channel. The bourbon is made by UGA grads. Join us for the Watch Along show too. Jason Butt is now doing daily Georgia quick takes on that channel too. It's just more content for the subscribers. We really appreciate you folks being here.
UPDATE:
I am told that Arik Gilbert will dress out today.
He won't play as he wasn't at practice but at least he is back with the team.
After last week's game, Smart said "All I can say is he didn't make the trip for personal reasons. I’m hoping he gets back with us."
Looking for more confirmation. Maybe we will see him in the Dawg Walk.
Three Observations
3. Dial it down a notch. I’m going to come across as schizophrenic as a coked-out Russian mail-order bride, but I think we need to dial back the hyperbole around this team. Yes, I am the same person who said to stop and smell the roses during this golden age of Georgia football. But some of these people have taken it too far.
The same pundits who didn’t believe the Bulldogs had a chance until after Kelee Ringo handed them the pick-six game ball are trying to pretend they never doubted.
“Georgia is the new Alabama.” - Well, maybe.
“There’s Georgia, then there's everyone else” - Yes, so far.
“This Georgia team is better than last year’s. It is a machine of death.” - Okay now, settle down.
“Stetson Bennett is 7 feet tall. He killѕ mеn bу the hundreds. And if HE wеrе hеrе, he'd соnѕumе the Engliѕh with firеbаllѕ frоm his еуеѕ, аnd bоltѕ оf lightning frоm his аrѕе.” - We’ve gone full Braveheart.
Ok, that last one was made up but the overcorrection by the experts looks a bit like that. Georgia has some warts. Teams are going to exploit the inexperience in the secondary and among the inside linebackers. Jalen Carter doesn’t have the same support staff that he did last year in the interior. So far, it hasn’t been an issue because the Dawgs faced a first-year head coach, a small private Christian school from Alabama, and a godawful South Carolina team led by a seventh-year resident assistant working on his French Lit. master’s thesis.
The Bulldogs are a blast to watch and are going to pillage a lot of teams worse than Ivar the Boneless. I’m just saying ignore the pundits with egg on their face and listen when Kirby Smart says the team has some issues to overcome.
2. Kirby can’t recruit quarterbacks. There has been a lot of gnashing of teeth on the recruiting trail when it comes to Georgia and quarterbacks of late. It reached a fever pitch when the Bulldogs missed out on Arch Manning. The UGA staff had gone Arch or bust, with some side trips into the recruitment of Dante Moore and Nico Iamaleava. And as each domino fell, the Bulldogs’ reputation took more cheap shots than an Auburn frat boy at the Iron Bowl.
The silver lining in all of this was that UGA would be perfectly set up to land a Class of 2024 five-star quarterback. But now Julian Sayin is visiting LSU this weekend and the frustration among those who follow recruiting has increased. But if Georgia wants Sayin, the No. 2 QB on the board for next year, I am confident that the Dawgs can land him. Let’s look at Smart’s history.
5-star Jacob Eason
5-star Jake Fromm
5-star Justin Fields
4-star Carson Beck
4-star D’Wan Mathis
5-star JT Daniels
5-star Brock Vandagriff
4-star Gunner Stockton
And Georgia won a title with a former walk-on, so the negative recruiting angle about “Kirby can’t develop” seems a little silly. And we don't always know who they want. Where does this kid sit on their list? The point is, Smart and Todd Monken will get their man. They always do.
1. Flashes of greatness. Well, not quite, but the Kent State Golden Flashes are not terrible. Their defense resembles the Arkansas defense Georgia faced last year. Thus, look for the Bulldogs to have success on inside runs and play action passes dropping behind the linebackers. Kent State runs a 3-3-5 defense with a free roaming safety in the middle, a hit man. Georgia will need to nuetralize him.
The Kent State quarterback, Collin Schlee, may be the best signal caller Georgia has faced so far. That’s partly because he’s the real deal and partly because the previous “top quarterbacks' ' UGA faced couldn’t score at a Florida Tri-Delt party. Schlee will execute a lot of RPOs but then take a lot of deep shots, similar to how Tennessee attacks a defense
Two Questions
2. Is it time to move the track? I have many fond memories of covering the Spec Towns invitational back when I worked for the Athletic Association. The Georgia track on Lumpkin street is a great landmark and well used by the nearby community.
But it needs to go. And it will at some point. UGA has two grass practice fields but they are laid end to end. Smart wants two of them side by side. Having that will increase practice efficiency, one of Smart’s top priorities given the limited time they have during the week. Georgia should move the track out to the sports complex on Milledge. Build the nation’s best track with ridiculous facilities. The Dawgs already have a national title-winning coach. Give her the best facilities to help recruiting. It would be a win-win for football and track.
1. Who plays this weekend? As we previously noted, I am still not expecting to see AD Mitchell play in this game. Also, Georgia won’t need to use Jalen Carter much, so he can come in for certain packages like he did against South Carolina.
One prediction
I expect the score to be uglier than next year’s home schedule. Georgia will win. But I expect to see speedy wide receiver Arian Smith at least dress out. He’s freakishly ahead of schedule. I am beginning to think he’s part starfish considering how quickly he has regenerated a working ankle. He might even get in for some safe plays, just to get him back on the field slowly. This is a big deal considering at one point his family thought he was done for the year. If he makes it out there, I hope the fans in Sanford Stadium go nuts.
P.S. If you missed it earlier, we are giving away a free bottle of bourbon on every postgame show on our YouTube channel. The bourbon is made by UGA grads. Join us for the Watch Along show too. Jason Butt is now doing daily Georgia quick takes on that channel too. It's just more content for the subscribers. We really appreciate you folks being here.
UPDATE:
I am told that Arik Gilbert will dress out today.
He won't play as he wasn't at practice but at least he is back with the team.
After last week's game, Smart said "All I can say is he didn't make the trip for personal reasons. I’m hoping he gets back with us."
Looking for more confirmation. Maybe we will see him in the Dawg Walk.
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