Hey folks - as a member of the DawgNation community, please remember to abide by simple rules of civil engagement with other members:
- Please no inappropriate usernames (remember that there may be youngsters in the room)
- Personal attacks on other community members are unacceptable, practice the good manners your mama taught you when engaging with fellow Dawg fans
- Use common sense and respect personal differences in the community: sexual and other inappropriate language or imagery, political rants and belittling the opinions of others will get your posts deleted and result in warnings and/ or banning from the forum
- 3/17/19 UPDATE -- We've updated the permissions for our "Football" and "Commit to the G" recruiting message boards. We aim to be the best free board out there and that has not changed. We do now ask that all of you good people register as a member of our forum in order to see the sugar that is falling from our skies, so to speak.
- Please no inappropriate usernames (remember that there may be youngsters in the room)
- Personal attacks on other community members are unacceptable, practice the good manners your mama taught you when engaging with fellow Dawg fans
- Use common sense and respect personal differences in the community: sexual and other inappropriate language or imagery, political rants and belittling the opinions of others will get your posts deleted and result in warnings and/ or banning from the forum
- 3/17/19 UPDATE -- We've updated the permissions for our "Football" and "Commit to the G" recruiting message boards. We aim to be the best free board out there and that has not changed. We do now ask that all of you good people register as a member of our forum in order to see the sugar that is falling from our skies, so to speak.
Georgia surges to No. 1 in ESPN’s future power rankings despite underrated quarterbacks
System
Posts: 11,453 admin
Georgia surges to No. 1 in ESPN’s future power rankings despite underrated quarterbacks
ATHENS — It doesn’t take advance metrics to understand how bright the future of Georgia football really is.
Comments
UGA under Smart has produced 1 season with 4000 yards passing (and it took 15 games to get there) plus no QB with 30 passing TDs (despite playing 14/15 games every season but 2016 and 2020) and no QB that has been drafted higher than the 4th round. And unlike other programs like Clemson, Oklahoma, Ohio State, LSU and even Alabama post 2016 where the QB drives things the passing game at UGA has always been complementary to a running game (under Fromm) and a defense (under Bennett) that played a much bigger role in winning championships. Even in 2022, yes Bennett played himself into a Heisman finalist and NFL draft pick in the SEC title and playoff games, but it was defensive performances against Tennessee, Missouri, Florida, Kentucky (16-6 game), against Mississippi State in Starkville etc. - the sort that Bryce Young did not get against Tennessee and LSU which is why Bama's defensive coordinator was let go - that put UGA in that position.
In other words, the QB play at UGA under Kirby is no more "underrated" than the QB play was at Alabama when Smart was their coordinator. No one ever considered Bama to have a big time passing game with Greg McElroy, AJ McCarron and Greg Coker were winning 4 titles, or even when Jalen Hurts "technically" led Bama to a 5th one (yes, he was the starting QB in that game as he played the first half even if he had nothing to do with the win).
Looks to me that Smart's formula is working better than those coaches who have been all in on the passing game.
I've said it a million times here... I'm completely thrilled with our QB room, now and for the foreseeable future. Go Dawgs!
Defense was great in 2021, with the notable exception of the SECCG. In 2022, the defense was great overall, but less than great to average in 3 to 4 games. Bennett in the 2021/2022 CFP was clutch. Bennett in 2022 was exceptional to dominant in every big time game. Without both (plus Bowers, McConkey, Mitchell, a great O-line, etc., etc.) I suspect we are still waiting for our first National Championship since 1980.
Not mentioned, but as deep as the Grand Canyon, is the distance and depth between The DAWGS and second, third, fourth ranked teams. We recruit well and so does every team in the top 10 but, the key is our ability to develop natural talent by teaching and honing skills in a manner that places first priority on TEAM.
Kirby has a way of making a good player..."great". And, a great player..."greater". The kids that buy into that and allow his system to work on them, are currently in the NFL...oh...and the rest are taking the field for UGA, this fall. Lol
As far as the "passing game" and "defense", go......
"Defense".......Reminder, UGA had a top 5 defense when they faced off against Bama In 2017...and the defense got most of the credit for that season. Kirby has had a top notch defense, since he's been there. No need to think that's gonna "ever" change...as long as Kirby Smart is Head Coach. Movin' on...
"Passing Game"......"Football 101"...It's preferred, not to throw the football...unless, of course, you need to energize a losing "Fanbase". Which UGA doesn't currently have a problem with, last I checked. But, when they did...the fans let em hear about it. Lol..."More passing....throw it every down!"...said Vandy Fans.
UGA Fans...IMO...You don't need that crutch anymore. Enjoy watching Kirby Smart show you how the game was meant to be played. Stop focusing on the instant...and empty gratification of a 500 yd passing game in a losing effort.
IN 2021...Bama had a Heisman winning QB and 2 all-world receivers. So what?!...UGA has "The Trophy"!
IN 2022...Bama had last year's Heisman winning QB, and OSU had this year's 2nd runner-up...a QB...plus a Fr-AA WR. So what?!...UGA's got "The Crown"!
What more do you want? Passing yards? Pass receptions? A gunslingin', hyped up quarterback? Why? To win more Championships? Lol...to win by a larger margin? Lol...see UGA vs TCU. You'll love the irony.
As a coordinator...Everything you tweak in your approach to a football game, effects something else in your game...AND...has an impact on the defensive side of the football. If you throw the ball more,...it comes with consequences. And, this being a team sport...I'd defer to the HC as to the "tempo & style" of offense needed to defeat the next opponent. Nothing more.
IMO...Some HC's tie their egos to passing yards and points...which is why they have no problem leaving their QB in a severely lopsided game...to run up the numbers. UGA and Stetson Bennett could've done that at least a dozen times over the last 2 years. What do you think His numbers would've been, under...say...Ryan Day or Lincoln Riley...or, even Lane Kiffin?
When it comes to throwing the football...you have to take the bad with the good. There is most definitely some bad to go with the good...I don't care how good the quarterback is. And...by Gawd, Kirby don't like takin' "Bad" from nobody. Lmao
I love what we are building at UGA. Our recruiting is second to none. Our facilities are top notch and getting better. Josh Brooks is getting it done as our AD. And we are adding a ton of new hardware to the trophy cases. GO DAWGS!
Good points. However, we had like the 5th most ppg in the nation last year and a big part was our passing attack. To win it all you need both your offense and defense to be at least a B grade with one of them to be an A. I think last year our offense was most definitely an A grade and our defense a B+. We could of averaged 50 points a game but Monken and Smart called off the Dawgs.
I hope Bobo can step up to the plate because in the playoff the refs have been instructed to hardly ever call holding and the calls mostly go to the offense (tv likes high scoring games for eyeballs). That's why a championship defense gets you to the playoff but a championship offense wins it for you. Got to have both to some degree. This season is firmly on Bobo if we win or lose it. I trust he will make it happen since it's his alma mater.