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Georgia tailback Kendall Milton ‘great this week’ in practice, could impact Kentucky game
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Georgia tailback Kendall Milton ‘great this week’ in practice, could impact Kentucky game
ATHENS — Georgia tailback Kendall Milton has “been great this week” in practice, according to head coach Kirby Smart.
Comments
Great. Bring it.
Would love to see what Milton could do if he can stay healthy for the rest of the year. UGA certainly needs it for the running back depth chart and he needs it to live up to the potential he has shown since he was heavily recruited. He seems to be a good guy and team mate. Hoping for the best for the young man.
We had another 5 star running back that had 1 big game for like 3tds and Kirk Herbstreit put him on his surprise players pre-season list and he ended up beiing a fumble machine and was moved to defense. I can't remember his name but it was during the Richt era.
What can you say. It’s as if the guy is made of porcelain. Don’t touch or it might break. We need Milton, but he just seems so fragile. Hoping he can stay healthy and be the stud most of us anticipated when he was being recruited.
All eyes will be watching Kendall Milton with much anxiety on Saturday night...
He is no Herschel Walker or Nick Chubb, but is a fighter for every inch of ground he gets. Many times he had very poor blocking...IMO. Watched the '22 video. Good speed for a big back. Gets injured easily. The League will notice that. Kendall could put some muscle behind UGA against KY if he stays healthy.
#UGA66
Right, after Herschel it only took 40 years for Nick to show up. Not many in their league.
Glad Kendall is getting back and closer to fully healthy. Not saying it will happen but it’d be Awesome to see him have a breakout game !! The best game he’s had since he’s been at UGA !! The timing of that happening would be Great !!
And Not to sound like a broken recording, but Again if this game gets late and Time sensitive needing a Quick score we have Mister NFL Brock Bowers !!! With him UGA should be able to get down field in a Critical Time situation much faster than Kentucky can !! Go Dawgs !!
Wasn't it Samuel's? Can't remember the first name...but, like Milton, he spent a lot of time "recovering from injuries", if I remember correctly. Good ballplayer, though. Used more as a utility guy.
As far as KM...he doesn't seem to have the vision or quickness, you need...to be a featured back. I like where the Dawgs are, with Edwards as the "featured back" and Milton, Bell and Bowers sprinkled in for relief and change-of-pace.
Edwards has great vision for the running lane, strength to get to the second level...and, the burst & quickness to find open field. I feel pretty good about him being a "20-30 Carry/Game" guy.
If Milton can take that next step...he and Edwards could own the SEC Ground game, going forward....virtually handing UGA's o-line the "Joe Moore Award".
IMO...poor running by the RB's [among other things], put a false spotlight on UGA's early "panned offensive line performance". The oline was getting blamed for failures, not of their making.
All that changes Saturday. The "real Dawgs' will show up for Kentucky. I just hope, they can get out of that game, healthy....and, I'll bet my bottom dollar, that I'm not the only one.
Kirby knows...that the best way to come out on top, in a toe-to-toe brawl...is to get in the first punch(es). Hit em, early & often, to get em off their game plan...which will undoubtedly be, to run the ball and keep the game "close". 3 early scores by the Dawgs, will force Kentucky to throw the ball a lot more than "planned". Resulting in Wildcat turnovers.
Less trench warfare...means fewer injury opportunities for the players. I believe Kirby's desire to have a healthy team, Sunday morning...will override his impulse to punish the opposition and "keep the hype to a whisper". Early win for the Dawgs, in this one. IMO
BTW....You were right about the defensive front. I haven't been impressed with some of the 2nd level tackling, either. This is not as fierce of a bunch, as we've seen over the last couple of years. But, the secondary, will provide "cover" by mixing up blitz/coverage packages.
Unlike 2021...[when the front 7 provided "cover" for a depleted secondary]...the secondary will need to provide "cover" for the front 7. That's easier to do, as it doesn't effect your ability to run out of a dime defense, in passing situations.
More interceptions are coming....and, they will come in bunches. But, that won't happen, until Kirby let's the DC's open up the playbook a little bit....[this weekend, hopefully].
We can all see, that the Dawgs have had issues "setting the edge". I'm starting to think "that" is intentional. Rather than turn the play toward the middle of the field...[which "setting the edge", is designed to do]...they are allowing a long east-to-west run, to allow the DB's to crash down on the perimeter. That can be very dangerous...if everybody, isn't on the same page.
Would love to see a health Milton for the rest of the season. I believe he has only had 1 season that was relatively injury free and that was when he was a freshman and not used that much. Seems to be really prone to hamstring problems but he sure is talented. Would love to see him perform the rest of this season like he did against Tennessee his freshman year. He was a bull with speed. Come on back and beat the cats.
@BigDawg61
Yes you are correct it was Richard Samuel.
I think we got smoked on rpos and counters because we didn't play disciplined and smart football.
For rpos we hopefully we wont see too much this weekend we didnt' know who was suppossed to take the qb and who was not. That is a problem.
For counters we got crushed and did not recognize what was happening.
These are surprising trends since we have experienced guys out there who should have seen this enough times last year to recognize it. Some of the guys we are talking about should have known better. Are they hurt or just playing slow or is something else going on. Playing slow AND out of position is a killer. If we are aggressive and fast and make mistakes I can live with that (especially since sometimes this causes a positive play anyways) and teach it and fix it but slow and **** is no way to go through life.
How do we fix this? There are a few ways to do this but we have only 1 week to get it fixed and several players need to play better technique and play the technique FAST AND AGGRESSIVE.
You can bet that we will see rpo and counter against us the rest of the year until we can prove that we can stop it. So let's see what we can do this weekend against a very good OL and rb with a couple good wrs to boot. This will take our best effort.
I think we can agree..."this is not the Dawgs Defensive standard". As observers...it's hard to know, exactly how much of it is on the "Jimmy's & Joe's"....and, how much of it, is on the "X's & O's".? I think we're gonna find out, this weekend.
I expect UGA to drop a dime on Mark Stoops and the Kentucky Wildcats vaunted running game....in a loud "recruiting call" to the world's finest athletes...on National TV....in an Athens Night Game. This will be their "Coming Out Party". What better time, to do it? Almost like it was planned that way. Lol
Next week, the word will be...."UGA...and, everybody else.". Has a familiar ring to it. Then, Kirby will go back to playing possum, for the press. Lol
I hope you are right. One thing that I feel good about is how many 'teachers' of defensive football techniques we have. It feels to me that we are seeing much more of Kirby stepping in to talk to the defense about what they need to focus on for the next series of downs during the game. He feels more like a DC this year when the offense is out there.
So that makes me wonder if Schumann doesn't quite know as much as we give him credit for. This is all posturing here what I'm writing but I do wonder based off of what I'm seeing from the shots of Kirby going over to defense if Schumann isn't as strong with certain position groups. The last 2-3 years we have had the luxury of our talent being supreme and many mistakes were getting covered up by other players making plays. This year we need to rely much more on technique, leverage, alignment, etc. and I just feel like Schumann could use some more seasoning by Kirby. Just my thoughts. Your thoughts?
The linebacker play has been atrocious compared to years past and the dline is struggling to find it's havoc makers on a consistent basis.
Good comments. And good to be wondering and questioning about Schumann. I’m kinda doing the same about Coach Searls and the O line. EVEN with Amarius Mims out most Dawgs fans thought this O line would two and maybe even three deep with Very Little drop off across the line when replacing starters.
Was Supposed to be a strength of this years Dawgs team. Was Supposed to dominate. Now in fairness they Have Had flashes of dominance. But have been very inconsistent in being Dominant. To Me that falls on coaching. Because unlike Current questions about talent on the Defensive Front. the O line assuredly has talent.
On the Defensive Front is it just Me or are the guys there Currently starting just a smidgen smaller than previous guys now in the NFL ?? It Seems to me that the veteran guys are playing really hard but don’t have the size to push past the big rival O linemen. Am I way off on that ??
I’d Love to see guys like Big Baby Hall grow up Fast experience wise and just see what difference he and a couple of others could do. I’m Not bashing on our veteran Defensive Front guys and I’m not saying All of them lack size. It just seems like they can’t get push on the rivals.
Probably much More a problem with technique and leverage as you indicated. And That falls on coaching. Regardless we Need the Defensive Front to ramp up their game BIG and starting Sat. night !! Go Dawgs !!
IMO...The offensive line is playing fantastic. You have to consider, that 2 of the guys expected to anchor Tackle positions...[Mims & Willock]...have not been available. That means interior line communications have had to evolve in-game. That leads to some breakdown, initially. By their 4th or 5th game together...those issues get worked out. The RB's [except for Edwards & Robinson] haven't been much help.
I think the apparent offensive line issues are in the rear view mirror. When Mims gets back, they'll be even better than they were expected to be. I'm sure Willock was on their mind, a little bit, early in the season. I don't know if, or how that dynamic may have effected Offensive Line chemistry and leadership.
@BigDawg888
The biggest difference I've noticed in the defensive front, is size and speed. Also, "tackling" at all levels, is not what we are used to seeing. In a word...."inconsistent". I'm still not sure, who the "Leaders" are...which may be why Kirby is more involved with the defense at this point of the season, than usual. He's waiting for a Leonard Floyd or Roquan Smith...or, Nakobe Dean, to "step-up" and take charge.
Afterall...UGA, according to Smart, is supposed to be,"player-led" and "player-coached". What happens, when you fail to find that "touchstone" on your defense? The Coaches become much more important.
Kirby and the defense will figure it out...maybe Saturday...maybe in Jax. But, they'll find the answers...if they haven't, already. Too much "player talent" and Coaching experience in Athens, to "miss" on that front.
When the curtain is finally pulled back, on "The Plan"...this defense, may operate completely different than some we've seen.
IMO...They may be going to a rubber-band style defense. Which allows the opposing offense to move the ball, eat up clock, limit explosive plays and create more opportunities for turnovers....but, not find the endzone. For the record....I hate that style of defense. But, it can be very effective, if you have the defensive backfield, UGA currently has.
I want to see them tackle better. That's been a failure of fundamental football, that I'm not used to seeing out of UGA defenses. At least, not since Ray Goff was HC. Don't get me wrong....they aren't "that bad" at it. They just don't seem to be as proficient as past teams. That could be a result of the schedule.
Unlike previous Bulldog Defenses of recent years....this year's group, doesn't appear to "attack" the offense and the football...but, rather...they are "more defensive" [if that makes sense]. They seem to be letting the play develop rather than trying to blow the play up.
I need to see this Kentucky game, to get a better feel, for what they are doing. I'm smelling a lot of "Run Blitz". Lol
@BigDawg61 Hey Bro. !! Was wondering when you’d come on here !! Haven’t seen you lately but glad your here. Yeah maybe I’m being a little to harsh on the O line. They Did show up Big in both the SC and Auburn games in the 2nd half when it counted. Just like to see more consistency. To help keep me from having a heart attack !! 😂
So I see where you answered @BigDawg888 that you’ve noticed a difference in size and speed of the Defensive Front so that confirms to me and my poor eye sight that there is a slight difference.
And I agree about the tackling. That is Highly unusual on a KS coached team. If our Dawgs get a solid W vs KY this Sat. though I think their on the cusp of turning the corner to being on their way to being the Great team we thought they Could be in pre-season. Getting Ladd, Javon, and Kendall back can only help.
I think the Whole team will feed on the positive energy coming from Dawgs fans going wild at night in Sanford Stadium !!! Go Dawgs !!!