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Georgia football racing toward higher hurdles in SEC East Division, miraculous reload needed
System
Posts: 11,469 admin
Georgia football racing toward higher hurdles in SEC East Division, miraculous reload needed
ATHENS — Georgia football has lost half of its position starters and 40 percent of its coaching staff, but there’s an air of confidence the Bulldogs won’t miss a beat.
Comments
I ain't worried.
Kirby is not about to reprise a LSU post-championship season of 2019. He will have his Dawgs right back in the playoffs.
There is no other team in the nation that “starters” means less than it does for the Dawgs. For all the Keystone Cops moments in Kirby’s first year, the Dawgs are a well oiled machine when substituting and that is often!
The better indicator of what was lost and what is coming back would be number of snaps played. Yes, there was a lot of talent lost in the draft, but it’s not like the players that will be counted on this year are inexperienced rookies. They are talented and work tirelessly to improve for their opportunity.
If it is going to take a miracle this year to replace the lost talent, we just witnessed a miracle in 2021 not only replacing the talent we lost in last year’s draft, but getting even better. I will not be surprised at all if the 2022 team is not equal or even better than the national championship team. That’s the culture and talent that Kirby has worked tirelessly to create!
I suggest we play the games. Anybody who can sit up today, in May, and say the next team can be as good "or better" than last year's, as if that's no big deal, needs to put down the pickle jar and lay off that clear Devil's brew grandpa makes. Let's see how it shakes out and let the other teams and their fans do the strutting.
LOL...You don't have to be Baba Vanga or Nostradomus to forsee what the Dawgs are going to put on the field next year. So, pick up the pickle jar...lean close, and I'll tell you.
The offense is losing 6 players. 2 RBs that could have left in 2020 and have already been replaced by McIntosh, Milton and Edwards. 2 linemen, one of which was replaced before the end of the Championship game by Jones. 1 WR that played sparingly in 4 games at the end of the year. And, 1 3rd string TE, that has already been replaced.
UGA's offense, for all intents and purposes loses nobody, going into 2022 and gained their entire receiving core...healthy, along with a new TE that appears to be a carbon copy of Brock Bowers. The offensive line may be the best UGA's had in the Smart Era and the TE corps is possibly the best ever assembled. Bennett is looking more and more like Baker Mayfield incarnate with a stable of RBs the rest of the SEC teams would die for.
The offense will enter the celestial ring next year, while the Defense drops into the stratospheric ring.
The defensive backfield will be much improved, while the front 7 will continue to wreak havoc... in a different way. Don't forget who the coaches are. Talent doesn't mean anything without focus and commitment to perfection. UGA has both in spades. It's what made the so successful in 2021.
Prediction:::offense===Top 10; defense===Top 5; equals CFP and possible Heisman Trophy winner
I agree with your predictions for the most part. I’m extremely excited about our offense, and Kirby and Co will ensure that UGA is well know for its defense despite the loss of immeasurable talent.
I don’t expect us to have a heisman winner though. Bennet is very good and might even be great this coming year. I just don’t think our offensive strategy will allow him to be a heisman contender. Hope I’m wrong.
If we have representation at the heisman ceremony my guess is it will be Jalen Carter. The young man is a beast of a football player. Barring injury he will be one of the best players in the nation this year. 88 will give OC’s nightmares this year.
I will not be very surprised if I’m wrong about this though. Bennet having a full offseason as starter, who knows. If Bowers gets any better he might be the best TE I’ve ever seen in college ball. Either might be a candidate.
One thing is for sure……. It feels good to be a Dawg!!!
Well written and an objective and logical assessment. Logic isn't always in abundance on fan boards. The home teams players aren't always the best at their position across CFB. Admittedly, we were all dumbfounded by the lack of pre-season SEC honors awarded to UGA players before last season. But to think the opposite is equally dumbfounding.
The good news? The CFBNC is very likely to be 1 of 3 teams. UGA, AL or OSU. Those 3 teams vs the field for the CFBNC is a virtual lock. Odds still favor AL especially if they add former Pitt WR Addison. USC may be forced to back off due to their tampering. This will be an interesting case and shine a much needed spotlight on an undesirable side effect of the TP.
As for UGA, the front 7 is talented and deep if inexperienced. The defensive backfield has a lot to prove. A pretty big step back is expected unless the 4 freshman 5* grow up really fast.
" I just don’t think our offensive strategy will allow him (SBIV) to be a heisman contender." Very true. The balance of UGA's offense prevents the kind of passing stat's needed to compete for the Heisman trophy. Truth be told, SBIV odds of being replaced in the starting line up by season end are greater than his odds of winning the Heisman. Just cutting down on the "boneheaded" (CKS words) plays and improvement relative to his experience level would be a nice step up. With this team, top OL, heathy wr's, great TE's and quality RB's we should expect SBIV to be significantly improved. Hopefully the additional rep's and time in Monken's O will make a difference.
It's not like there's a drop off in talent and those that didn't start last year got significant playing time. The coaches come and go every 1-3 years, but Kirby and his core system is unchanging, and it adds up to better and better coaching. Just saying Go Dawgz no worries Sic'em.😎
BAMA lost a ton of players to the 2021 draft. I just knew they couldn't replace that amount of talent and win the NAtty but dang if they almost did, if not for a generational defense. WHat carried BAMA was there offense. THey got a transfer receiver and he and the QB clicked and by golly they almost pulled it off. THeir defense was circumspect. I see a similar situation shaping up at UGA. I believe the offense will be our strenth, not that the defense will ****, just that the offense will carry the day, and make it easier on the defense to grow and mature as the season goes along.
I, for one am glad we got beat in the SECC, well, maybe not glad, of course I would have loved for us to run the table, but I do believe the loss in the SECC was a wake up call, and the DAWGS responded in a very positive way. Plus it's very very hard to beat a really good team twice in a short amount of time. THe stats bear this out.
At the end of the day, UGA and BAMA have the most assembled talent in the conference with Texas a&m is coming on strong, but IMHO, Fisher has a screw loose somewhere.
Oh, the better the opponent you face the sharper you get.😎
I pretty much agree with you, BigDawg, but not on this: "The defensive backfield will be much improved."
I don't see anyone approaching Cine's abilities at S ... yet. Same with Kendrick. It's true that one or two of the five-stars could develop quickly, but even if they do, it's doubtful that they'll be as solid as veterans like Cine and Kendrick.
I'm not much for narratives and rhetoric. I like to do my own homework and thinking. Here's the reason I think Bennett has a legitimate shot at the Heisman.
First of all, last year and the year before, Bennett didn't have that much experience in FBS Football and zero experience with Todd Monkin prior to the 2020 kickoff. The COVID year didn't help, with the cancelation of Spring Practice and Summer OTAs.
He went into the 2021 season as the #2 QB, with 5 starts under his belt. He goes into the 2022 season as the undisputed starter, with a National Championship ring and a full arsenal of veteran players by his side. Big, big difference.
Once he took over the offense, after the Vanderbilt game, he improved every week, gaining confidence as he went. And, clearly, Smart and Monkin were confident he would lead UGA to a Natty...otherwise, he would have been replaced.
Bennett is very accurate and can make all the throws. His range is about 60-65 yards, which is all he needs in Monkins offensive scheme. He was the 5th leading rusher last year behind White. Cook, McIntosh and Milton, with 4.6 yd/carry on 56 attempts. Roughly the same number of attempts as McIntosh (58), Milton (56) and Edwards (49) with relatively the same yds/carry avg..
Just a reminder....Chris Weinke signed with FSU at the age of 25 and won the Heisman at the age of 29. He was drafted in the 4th round and spent 6 yrs in the NFL. It took him a few years to learn to operate the FSU offense, and like Bennett, he had talent all around him when he won the Heisman in 2000. FSU also won the Natty that year by beating Michael Vick and VA Tech. So, it's not unheard-of or impossible, despite what some in Dawg Nation would have you believe.
I can tell you this...the only way Bennett is replaced, at any point in the season, will be due to injury or an **** loss. Either way, UGA's season will likely be over at that point, unless one of the younger QBs miraculously develop experience and an adequate understanding of Monkin's offense. If you think Bennett made some "boneheaded" plays in 2021...you ain't seen nothin' yet, if Beck or BVG have to take over. LOL
I realize the experience level isn't where it needs to be, going into the season. That's a given. The talent, size and speed are most definitely there, though. I liked what I saw in the Spring, from the 1's and some of the 2's. All of the DBs that will be there in August, didn't participate in the Spring.
I've come to the conclusion, that Smart has a little Dooley in him. LOL. He will "poor-mouth" and play down any advantage, to the point you feel sorry for him....until it's time to play football. LOL
The players and coaches aren't going to let grass grow under their feet between now and the last scrimmage in August. They know where they are and where they need to be by Sep 3rd. Based on past performance, I have no reason to believe Smart, Muschamp and Schumann, won't have those guys ready to go by kickoff time. After all, they're professionals...the coaches, I mean. LOL
The big thing to remember, is that experience level, isn't a static measurable. It's dynamic in nature and will grow exponentially as the season progresses...barring injury. The Dawgs MUST get by Oregon. I believe that once that game is behind them, they're home free.
It's easier to gain experience on defense than it is on offense, as long as you have 2 or 3 experienced leaders on the field to communicate assignments to the inexperienced. Not easy...just easier. LOL
By mid-season, we should be able to put the "inexperienced DBs" concerns to bed. I expect the offense to be juggernauts this year. I can't remember a time they had so much talent, experience and weapons returning on the offensive side of the football. I can't wait to see what they're about to do.
BTW, mark my words, Kearis Jackson is going to be the most explosive receiver in the SEC next year. With the receiving talent UGA has at the TE and RB positions and a mobile QB...the passing game is going to explode in 2022 and Jackson will join Bowers, Gilbert, Delp and Washington as targets du jour. Mitchell, McConkey and Smith will platoon, much like the TE's. Unbelievable amount of speed and talent. I don't understand why UGA's offense isn't the talk of College Football, right now. I guess they would be, if they were OSU or BAMA. But, when these knucklehead sportswriters establish a narrative, such as, "UGA's a running team", they can't see past that until after the fact. Then they proclaim they knew it all along...kinda like last year's Dawg Defense. LOL
I rip you when you are sloppy and unprofessional, Mike, but I have to give you props when you aren't. This was a well-written piece.