I’ve chatted with a few folks this morning and developed some thoughts worth sharing.
TEAM LEADERSHIP
We spent months trying to discover this team’s identity. The extension of that was identifying team leaders. Many people, Kirby Smart included, raved about Trevor Etienne being a team leader back in the summer. Team magic happens when your best players are also your hardest workers and team leaders.
Those summer reports were red flags to me. How can a guy who has been here for three months usurp leadership roles from fourth and fifth year players? It was a red flag back in August. It isn’t in December. Etienne caped up through injured ribs to stand in front of his team and say: ‘I’m at Georgia for games like this.’ And yes, it’s noted that the Florida transfer proudly said he’d never played in championships.
A freshman or transfer in August is a veteran on a team in December. Georgia needed energy and leadership because of energy and leadership voids. I asked who team leaders were back in August. Now in December, I can confidently report names including Tate Ratledge, Jalon Walker, Malaki Starks, Dan Jackson, Chaz Chambliss, Arian Smith…and Trevor Etienne.
ARIAN SMITH
Yes, I included him in that list even after more dropped passes. With each dropped pass, I hear Mike in East Dublin (my daddy) yell: “surely they have somebody else who can catch the dang ball!!”
They do have other receivers, but not ones who do what Arian Smith does all over the field.
-Chasing plays to be in position to fall on fumbles
-Perimeter blocking
-Taking on LBs in run blocking
-Punt fake ball carrier
-Special teams gunner
-And, oh yeah, he is the team’s leading receiver
Want to play for Kirby Smart? Be versatile. Arian Smith went from a track star to key piece to a SEC Championship team. Keep cursing the drops, but note the other contributions too.
GUNNER TIME
Georgia enters the playoff shifting the offensive identity it had just refined. Gunner Stockton gives Mike Bobo a power running threat at QB. Any team willing to run a QB must also be willing to play the backup QBs should injuries warrant it. We saw a version of this in OT when Stockton’s helmet flew into Roswell.
Yes, Gunner Stockton is QB1 in Carson Beck’s absence. That also requires Georgia investing more to have Ryan Puglisi and Jaden Rashada ready for action. I expect them all to take snaps with the 1’s in practice. I expect offensive reads to be simplified so any of them can play. I also don’t trust the depth chart order from last Saturday. One person told me this morning to not be surprised if Rashada is in line for meaningful snaps.
NOLA
I freaking love New Orleans. Kirby Smart said his kids feel like they are raised there. Somebody tossed this idea out to me this morning: it is an advantage for Georgia to know it is in NOLA on New Year’s Day. Georgia fans can gobble up the accommodations and secondary market tickets. Notre Dame and Indiana fans won’t even look at those prices until they know they have reason to go. Georgia fans can make it a home game in the Bayou. While we all know the CFP should adjust and make the top-4 seeds have home games, taking over NOLA is the next best thing.
TEAM LEADERSHIP
We spent months trying to discover this team’s identity. The extension of that was identifying team leaders. Many people, Kirby Smart included, raved about Trevor Etienne being a team leader back in the summer. Team magic happens when your best players are also your hardest workers and team leaders.
Those summer reports were red flags to me. How can a guy who has been here for three months usurp leadership roles from fourth and fifth year players? It was a red flag back in August. It isn’t in December. Etienne caped up through injured ribs to stand in front of his team and say: ‘I’m at Georgia for games like this.’ And yes, it’s noted that the Florida transfer proudly said he’d never played in championships.
A freshman or transfer in August is a veteran on a team in December. Georgia needed energy and leadership because of energy and leadership voids. I asked who team leaders were back in August. Now in December, I can confidently report names including Tate Ratledge, Jalon Walker, Malaki Starks, Dan Jackson, Chaz Chambliss, Arian Smith…and Trevor Etienne.
ARIAN SMITH
Yes, I included him in that list even after more dropped passes. With each dropped pass, I hear Mike in East Dublin (my daddy) yell: “surely they have somebody else who can catch the dang ball!!”
They do have other receivers, but not ones who do what Arian Smith does all over the field.
-Chasing plays to be in position to fall on fumbles
-Perimeter blocking
-Taking on LBs in run blocking
-Punt fake ball carrier
-Special teams gunner
-And, oh yeah, he is the team’s leading receiver
Want to play for Kirby Smart? Be versatile. Arian Smith went from a track star to key piece to a SEC Championship team. Keep cursing the drops, but note the other contributions too.
GUNNER TIME
Georgia enters the playoff shifting the offensive identity it had just refined. Gunner Stockton gives Mike Bobo a power running threat at QB. Any team willing to run a QB must also be willing to play the backup QBs should injuries warrant it. We saw a version of this in OT when Stockton’s helmet flew into Roswell.
Yes, Gunner Stockton is QB1 in Carson Beck’s absence. That also requires Georgia investing more to have Ryan Puglisi and Jaden Rashada ready for action. I expect them all to take snaps with the 1’s in practice. I expect offensive reads to be simplified so any of them can play. I also don’t trust the depth chart order from last Saturday. One person told me this morning to not be surprised if Rashada is in line for meaningful snaps.
NOLA
I freaking love New Orleans. Kirby Smart said his kids feel like they are raised there. Somebody tossed this idea out to me this morning: it is an advantage for Georgia to know it is in NOLA on New Year’s Day. Georgia fans can gobble up the accommodations and secondary market tickets. Notre Dame and Indiana fans won’t even look at those prices until they know they have reason to go. Georgia fans can make it a home game in the Bayou. While we all know the CFP should adjust and make the top-4 seeds have home games, taking over NOLA is the next best thing.
Last edited:
