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Kirby Smart orchestrates amazing reinvigoration of Georgia football
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Kirby Smart orchestrates amazing reinvigoration of Georgia football
ATHENS — It’s hard to say exactly what Georgia football will look like next season, but what a difference 6 1/2 weeks has already made. It has been an amazing and bold offensive transformation by Kirby Smart, a coach who can't seem to turn the pressure up on himself and his program enough with slogans like "Do More"
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I'm very pleased with the direction of the program. It was a dark December. I was worried that Smart would double down and not make changes. I'm pleasantly surprised.
Well all of that remains to be seem....Is this an "amazing reinvigoration" or are we simply rearranging the deck chairs....I'll give him credit for not letting the grass grow but we still have 9 starters on offense that we have to replace
I felt before the 2019 season began, and went on record saying this, we would be just fine at wide receiver. As we all know a lot of things changed due to injuries to Cager and Blaylock in addition to Pickens and his suspensions. As it turned out we weren’t as good or as deep as I had originally thought at this position. But there were other reasons, as well, we did not perform well on offense. Fromm and his inexplicable problems in some games, questionable play calling at times against a stacked defense and an offensive line that was huge in stature but a step behind some defenses (South Carolina, for example) in quickness. Now I’m even questioning how well the OL was motivated and coached up. I am just extremely impressed with how Coach Smart has addressed these issues that were apparent to a lot of fans. Kirby, unlike a previous coach, is truly working his tail off to bring a National Championship to Georgia and I fully believe he will accomplish just that. Your dedication to excellence coach has won a lot of fans and my admiration for your vision and sincere desire to make this a truly elite program and we thank you and fully support your efforts! Go Dawgs!
Yep, I'm quite impressed. Who knows what will happen, but the main thing is that it's not the whole "everything is okay as is, next year maybe will be better". This is as close to as Smart can get with saying "our offense **** because of coaching and I'm fixing that right now".
It's all about adapting and Saban has reiterated that point.
With the departures on offense from Fromm to Swift and several starting lineman, not to mention Pittman, many were already counting the Dawg's out for 2020, Florida had already caught GA, and with Mullen at the helm, it would be Florida at the top of the East.
Two weeks later, I really like the direction of the program. First, Pittman's line vastly under performed at run blocking, especially considering the talent he had to work with. Then Luke takes over and gets a makeshift line minus three starters to perform better.
The offense looked better over all in the Sugar Bowl, and I credit Luke and the improved line performance for much of it.
Now after all the coaching upgrades on offense, a senior transfer QB, it's hard to not see the offensive production improving over last year. This is a team who finished No. 4 despite the lack of offense, and is returning the best defense in CFB.
I hope Florida continues to get the media pick as favorite in the East. They get an advantage with an easier schedule and West opponent draw, this is Mullen's best chance to catch Kirby, and if he can't do it this year, then when?
No Mullen offense has ever scored over 17 points on Smart's defense since he came to Athens. With an improved offense, Kirby may even put more separation between his program and Mullen's. If that happens, how long before it's the Florida fans calling for an offensive upgrade?
Now I'm really curious to see what final pieces we add to the upcoming signing class. We're essentially neck-and-neck with Bama and Clemson in the 24/7 rankings, and then there's a gap before we get to the #4 team. We actually have the best average ranking.
I think the best news is that all this quick work turns the narrative away from "Georgia the team that couldn't" to "Georgia the team that's pushing hard." That'll be important with recruits, I'd wager, and the new offensive firepower in the coaching ranks will (hopefully) help convince offensive players to come our way. Go Dawgs!
If nothing else there is hope and optimism for a much brighter future(than there was after getting trounced by LSU, and seeing all the linemen and Jake leave)). Give credit to CKS, he's a fighter, he knows it's there for the taking in 2020 if he can implement all the right moving pieces. If it works, then coach of the year for sure.
With all of these changes going on..one that is kinda overlooked is the addition of Matt Luke......I mean he did fail as a head coach but I think he can be top notch as an assistant...I liked his style leading up to the Sugar bowl.....We all have to admit that something just wasn't right with the Dawgs.......and that still may be the case but I did see a change as soon as Luke was hired
For every person that complains about Kirby... He is the best coach this program has had in decades. He has brought UGA football to levels unseen. The titles will come; I truly believe it. He keeps proving time and time again to be one of the very best. I wouldn’t want anyone else coaching this team. We should demand the best and not be satisfied with mediocrity. We pay all that money to see the games and buy their merchandise. Not to mention the emotional investment. But let’s be less critical and more supportive. He just keeps on proving that he knows what he is doing. We are living in the golden years. Let’s enjoy it and not look back and say we wish had not wasted the experience whining. Go Dawgs!
There were a lot of people on here "whining" about the offense this year. It was pretty lame at times. You do realize that this forum is just a microcosm of what the majority at large are feeling. Evidently CKS wasn't pleased to say the least with our offensive production, either. His shaking things up in the dramatic fashion he has shows his true feelings no matter how much he poo-pooed the criticism from national sports experts. columnist, beat writers and the fans. He took up for his team, it's what good coaches do, then they work to fix the problems they made excuses for or refused to criticize publicly.
i can’t stand Tennessee but is anybody starting to feel like this is our version of the 1998 Volunteers??? The lose their all time greatest QB and key offensive players and were wondering how they would replace them. Preseason #10 and went on to be undefeated and BCS champions. Here is the only time I hope we are like TN! Go Dawgs!
Agree with everything you said Mike, but one thing that Orgeron (and LSU) have over Smart and UGA is that they capped off their magical season with a national championship, and no matter what happens next year or in the following years, they'll still have that championship. That's why the way the 2018 National Championship Game hurt so bad; win that and all of the stuff that's happened since (back-to-back losses in the SECCG, the pitiful showing in the 2019 Sugar Bowl, losing to SC this past season, the early departures of Swift and Fromm and Wilson and Thomas) wouldn't sting quite as much because we could always say you know what, we won a championship.
I hope we do it this year. I really do. Like most Dawg fans, I'm quite impressed and optimistic about the recent changes by Kirby. Next trick is to translate all of this off-season euphoria into a championship so that Smart can also say that he's a national championship coach. Go Dawgs!
Under Kirby Smart, UGA remains successfully unsuccessful in reaching for the "prize." That, I feel,is about to change. It may not be 2020 as many of us project, but it will come. He is a bit unusual as a coach, but his instincts bely any unsettled feelings I have had in the past about his coaching ability. Coach Smart knows what he is doing! Saban's ability to "change" his style did rub off on his former protege'. You don't have to be a moon walker to see the obvious. Also, LSU's dominance proved to be a valuable lesson learned....Smart is, after all, on a learning curve as a head coach. And, he is learning his lessons well. Change permeates the pre-fall air as new, coaches, transfers, recruits, keep us all on the edge of that folding Dawg chair, this time without mishap...we are hoping!!! The Year Of The Dawg!!!
Come on Dawgs, I'm running out of years.
Mike, not that my opinion matters; but, WELL DONE! Great article!
Go Dawgs!
We will be at 85 Scholarships when both Van Pran and Jones sign in February. Does that answer your questions about the class?
Coach Smart's changes and non-stop recruiting have certainly kept us in the national conversation (in the offseason at least) and I am grateful for the excitement and possibilities the changes bring with them. Like a lot of folks I was concerned Smart wouldn't do much to the offense but have been so pleasantly surprised with the changes I'm looking forward to offseason updates like I haven't in a long time. The upcoming season went from borderline dread to exciting in a few short weeks
I'm hardly predicting a run at the Natty this year... I've given that up when it comes to Georgia (nothing short of a natty breakthrough will cure that). But I will say that despite Smart's "Pressure is a privilege" mantra, the fact remains that historically Georgia has often had their best seasons when there were very low expectations. So who knows? Why not Georgia? Why can't we win the East again? I look forward to seeing how Florida handles the pressure of being the favorite. Cousin Eddie is no Butch Jones, but he's still Cousin Eddie, and Smart's teams or defenses have played well against him. Georgia needs to keep the momentum going against Florida (and let's be honest, why shouldn't we? We did after all let them reel off 7 and 8 game win streaks against us!). If we do, we'll make the Georgia-Tennessee game in mid-November, with all the prodigal-son/transfer-portal/severed-pinky drama heading into it, THE biggest game of 2020 for the Dawgs.
Kirby's biggest weakness as a UGA coach has been getting too close to a certain player & staff and letting those relationships interfere with football business decisions. Close personal relationships with players & staff results in stagnation. Hopefully, he realizes these traits have cost him at least one NC.