There is a lot of consternation about the staff moving forward. When Kirby brought Searels in there was a ton of angst over the subject. He's still the boards whipping boy. Anyone remember Trey Scott's head must roll? Or Lanning really struggled to recruit because we gave up 14 points a few times in the middle of the season? Coaches must be the issue when everything doesn't go perfect. I really assumed it was just because we hadn't won it in 41 years and people were stir crazy. We've now won 2 in a row and the goal posts have moved from worried about winning 1 to worried about being perfect(we were) in every single facet and the minor imperfections become doomsday scenarios.
Players matter, stars matter, future NFL studs matter. That is objective in college football, the team with the most blue chip kids developed into NFL studs will win the natty. There are only 3-5 teams with a shot next year. UGA leads that pack, bama, OSU, maybe LSU, maybe USC, someone will say ND but that's not happening but they do fit the model on paper.
We joined that elite pack because we have stockpiled goons. Richt and the former regime did not. Settling is when you settle for roster talent and don't fill a full 85, that's the single most egregious thing a coach can do, see Florida as an example present day.
Richt coached NFL starters:
Sean Jones
Reggie Brown
John Stinchcomb
Ben Watson
Thomas Davis
Pollack(we know what happened)
Tim Jennings
Max Jean-Gilles
Ellerbe
Kedric Golston
Stafford
Charles Johnson
Knowshon
Clint Boling
Jarius Wynn
Geno Atkins
AJ Green
Reshad Jones
Justin Houston
Akeem Dent
Cordy Glenn
Ben Jones
Cornelius Washington
Shawn Williams
Ogletree
Malcom
Chris Conley
Jarvis Jones
Abry Jones
John Jenkins
Jordan Jenkins
Gurley
Leonard Floyd
David Andrews
Corey Moore
Chubb
Sony
iMac
Lo Carter
Isiah Wynn
That is a hell of a list. Notice we can hardly make an entire OL or a starting secondary with that group though.
Compared to Kirby's guys(some will be duplicates because I counted inherited guys for Richt as well):
Chubb
Sony
iMac
Roquan
Lo Carter
Mecole
Deandre Baker
Isiah Wynn
Swift
Soloman Kindley
Tae Crowder
Monty Rice
Stokes
Andrew Thomas
James Cook
Salyer
Devonte Wyatt
Jordan Davis
Quay Walker
Azeez
Tyson Campbell
Pickens
Travon Walker
Jermaine Johnson
Cine
McKitty
DK
Soon to join:
Jalen Carter
Nolan Smith
Brod Jones
Chris Smith
Ringo
Warren Mclendon
SVP
Brock Bowers
Darnell Washington
Malakai Starks
Kenny McIntosh
Mims
Tate
Bear
Mykell Williams
Smael
JDJ
Lassiter
Everette
I could go for days. The reality is Richt was damn solid and we had some studs over his 15 year tenure. 40 NFL starters or rotation guys. Kirby has 45 in 7 years and growing. I get some of the 1's listed aren't quite there yet. But let's be realistic. We've watched more talent come and go through Athens the last 7 years than we did the prior 15. That's objective. We never signed a 3k point class pre Kirby. We just signed 5 of out of 6 this last cycle.
Scheme is important, development is important, but you need players above all else. We have those in spades and until the recruiting starts dipping below that 3k threshold for 2-3 cycles, then we are making the playoffs at minimum. I get 2019 with Coley, or Cheney not being great, but the roster is on another planet from even their time here. I don't want them back, but they'd be better with the current crop to. So whether Monken stays, Bobo takes over, Searels is here forever, new guy takes over next year, Dell eventually leaves, etc. We will be ok because we have studs. When names are floated around that have put up almost identical numbers to our last 3 years here with way less talent. They'll probably be even better than they were the first time around. If it's a new guy, they'll also be ok. Monken wasn't Monken pre UGA, Pittman is a great recruiter but the closest he will come to a championship was his time here, Addae had 4 starters who will start in the NFL and was replaced and we never skipped a beat.
Players matter, culture matters, connection between the staff matters. The machine is built and no 1 single person can undermine it outside of Kirby jumping the shark on who he is as a leader. Enjoy the time we have. Enjoy the NFL pipeline, enjoy the hardware. We are an all time dynasty officially in the middle of the peak years. We have the GOAT figure in our history running the show. His name is Kirby Smart. We will look back in 10 years and count up 100+ NFL players that came through here. Multiple championship QBs and OC's. Relax and have some fun.
Players matter, stars matter, future NFL studs matter. That is objective in college football, the team with the most blue chip kids developed into NFL studs will win the natty. There are only 3-5 teams with a shot next year. UGA leads that pack, bama, OSU, maybe LSU, maybe USC, someone will say ND but that's not happening but they do fit the model on paper.
We joined that elite pack because we have stockpiled goons. Richt and the former regime did not. Settling is when you settle for roster talent and don't fill a full 85, that's the single most egregious thing a coach can do, see Florida as an example present day.
Richt coached NFL starters:
Sean Jones
Reggie Brown
John Stinchcomb
Ben Watson
Thomas Davis
Pollack(we know what happened)
Tim Jennings
Max Jean-Gilles
Ellerbe
Kedric Golston
Stafford
Charles Johnson
Knowshon
Clint Boling
Jarius Wynn
Geno Atkins
AJ Green
Reshad Jones
Justin Houston
Akeem Dent
Cordy Glenn
Ben Jones
Cornelius Washington
Shawn Williams
Ogletree
Malcom
Chris Conley
Jarvis Jones
Abry Jones
John Jenkins
Jordan Jenkins
Gurley
Leonard Floyd
David Andrews
Corey Moore
Chubb
Sony
iMac
Lo Carter
Isiah Wynn
That is a hell of a list. Notice we can hardly make an entire OL or a starting secondary with that group though.
Compared to Kirby's guys(some will be duplicates because I counted inherited guys for Richt as well):
Chubb
Sony
iMac
Roquan
Lo Carter
Mecole
Deandre Baker
Isiah Wynn
Swift
Soloman Kindley
Tae Crowder
Monty Rice
Stokes
Andrew Thomas
James Cook
Salyer
Devonte Wyatt
Jordan Davis
Quay Walker
Azeez
Tyson Campbell
Pickens
Travon Walker
Jermaine Johnson
Cine
McKitty
DK
Soon to join:
Jalen Carter
Nolan Smith
Brod Jones
Chris Smith
Ringo
Warren Mclendon
SVP
Brock Bowers
Darnell Washington
Malakai Starks
Kenny McIntosh
Mims
Tate
Bear
Mykell Williams
Smael
JDJ
Lassiter
Everette
I could go for days. The reality is Richt was damn solid and we had some studs over his 15 year tenure. 40 NFL starters or rotation guys. Kirby has 45 in 7 years and growing. I get some of the 1's listed aren't quite there yet. But let's be realistic. We've watched more talent come and go through Athens the last 7 years than we did the prior 15. That's objective. We never signed a 3k point class pre Kirby. We just signed 5 of out of 6 this last cycle.
Scheme is important, development is important, but you need players above all else. We have those in spades and until the recruiting starts dipping below that 3k threshold for 2-3 cycles, then we are making the playoffs at minimum. I get 2019 with Coley, or Cheney not being great, but the roster is on another planet from even their time here. I don't want them back, but they'd be better with the current crop to. So whether Monken stays, Bobo takes over, Searels is here forever, new guy takes over next year, Dell eventually leaves, etc. We will be ok because we have studs. When names are floated around that have put up almost identical numbers to our last 3 years here with way less talent. They'll probably be even better than they were the first time around. If it's a new guy, they'll also be ok. Monken wasn't Monken pre UGA, Pittman is a great recruiter but the closest he will come to a championship was his time here, Addae had 4 starters who will start in the NFL and was replaced and we never skipped a beat.
Players matter, culture matters, connection between the staff matters. The machine is built and no 1 single person can undermine it outside of Kirby jumping the shark on who he is as a leader. Enjoy the time we have. Enjoy the NFL pipeline, enjoy the hardware. We are an all time dynasty officially in the middle of the peak years. We have the GOAT figure in our history running the show. His name is Kirby Smart. We will look back in 10 years and count up 100+ NFL players that came through here. Multiple championship QBs and OC's. Relax and have some fun.
