Georgia had two seniors recognized as finalists for national college football awards, but two deserving juniors were snubbed
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The omission of Thomas is surprising, considering his stock in the draft. Not surprised about Swift -- I think most objective experts and analysts consider Robbins, Hubbard and Taylor to be better backs -- or at least to have had better seasons. Maybe there are, maybe they aren't, but that's how it looks to people. Kirby and others seem to have fallen into this narrative that the expectations on Swift are unrealistic. I don't think that's the case. No one expects him to put up 200 yards a game. What IS SURPRISING, is that with that offensive line, he STRUGGLES to reach 100 yards each game. Even Kirby himself said Saturday that it seems like Swift "wills himself" to 5-yard gains. But with this line, he should be ripping off 5- and 10-yard runs with regularity, even with a stacked box. Maybe not against EVERY team, but against the Missouri's, Tennessee's, South Carolina's and Vanderbilts. That doesn't mean he isn't a great back and a DGD. He is. I just think the O-Line let him down this year and kept him from having the monster year that many were expecting.
If there is a team within a team it is the OL. Where continuity is important, we have had to start different combinations almost every game and go two and three deep at times. That would be a death knell on virtually every team in the country but we're 10 and 1 even with the snubs of Swift and Thomas.
Don't discount playing fresh teams coming off bye weeks in almost half of our games also. Even Tech is going to have extra days to rest and prepare.
The old saying, "All teams are beat up this time of year." has not applied to half of our opponents this year. Still, ask the players who were snubbed and my bet is that the awards that matter, SEC and national championships, are still within their grasp!
Hopefully they both stay healthy and reap their payday on day one of the NFL Draft.
Those casting ballots do NOT do their due diligence and watch every game for every player in the running for these rewards, they don't consider the competition and they don't take into account the entire team and how it affects the play of the player(s) being considered. They focus on highlights and statistics. Period. The folks voting on each award should only be those who played the position at a high level and they should be required to watch every play for each player they deem to be in the top ten. It is a full body of work. Just my humble opinion.
All the qbs are/were SEC qbs. Offensive scheme that never kept linebackers honest cost Swift any recognition. 95 percent of Fromm's passes are outside. Opposing linebackers can play the run, then head towards the sidelines once Fromm has gone back to pass. Don't know if that's Coley or Fromm and I'm an armchair qb. But it seems that some dink and dump passes for 7 or 8 yards and a few tight end slants would maybe loosen the LB's up.
