Georgia football podcast: Here’s what the critics might be getting wrong about UGA

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• benzone ✭✭✭ Junior

  January 9 edited January 9

  Seriously Brandon Adams, this is dumb.

  1. The SEC was the main driving force behind creating BCS and then the playoff in the first place. The Big 10 and Pac-10 preferred things the way that they were and fought tooth and nail against it but ultimately lost because of TV money. The Big 10 shifted gears, adapted quickly to the new landscape and are the strongest they have been since the 60s and 70s. The Pac-10 remained stubborn and no longer exist as a result.
  2. NIL and the transfer portal exist because the NCAA lost federal lawsuits. The alternative would have been the federal government declaring college football players employees, which would have meant the NCAA dealing with labor unions and antitrust laws just like the pro leagues do.
  3. UGA didn't lose to Notre Dame, Alabama and Ole Miss because they can no longer stockpile DLs thanks to the portal and NIL. Good grief: Texas stockpiles QBs. Ohio State stockpiles WRs and RBs. UGA's losses the last 2 years is because Kirby Smart has never prioritized great or even good WR play. They got lucky 2021-2022 with the combo of 3 star recruits like Ladd McConkey and AD Mitchell developing into 2nd round picks and Brock Bowers being a generational TE. And even there, it still required injuries to 3 future NFL starting WRs at Ohio State and Alabama to actually win the titles. We saw in the 2021 SECCG and the first half of the 2022 first round title game that UGA did not have the firepower to compete with teams that actually did recruit WRs at a high level.
  4. Kirby Smart's decision to change the offense to suit Stetson Bennett IV's talent also ruined UGA's RB recruiting. Smart went from inheriting a pair of 1500 yard rushers when he was hired to not having a single guy capable of rushing for 700 yards in a 14 game season this year. Where future NFL starter D'Andre Swift was the 3rd RB in 2017, walk-on Cash Jones was the 3rd RB this year, plus Dillon Bell has had to play WR the past 2 seasons.
  5. As for the rest of the SEC, you had a string of terrible coaching hires at LSU, Auburn, Tennessee and Florida plus Nick Saban stayed on a year or two too long at Bama trying to beat Bear Bryant's records. The Big 10 during this time hired much better guys. Ohio State hired Urban Meyer, whose program is still going thanks to his successor hiring outstanding OCs and DCs. Michigan hired Harbaugh, who brought in a bunch of NFL guys and it eventually paid off. Penn State hired James Franklin. Why didn't an SEC school hire James Franklin after a pair of 9 win seasons at Vanderbilt? And it actually does appear that the second best coach in the SEC is at Texas, having just joined the conference from the Big 12. A lot of the mid-tier Big 10 schools Illinois, Indiana, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa etc. all have proven guys. The Big 10 is on the upswing right now for the same reason that the Big 8/Big 12 plus FSU/Miami/Florida won the 80s and 90s and the SEC was even more dominant since. Florida's desperation after decades of futility caused them to hire a passing game guy in Steve Spurrier, who humiliated the SEC and forced the hunt for better coaches. LSU hired Nick Saban from Michigan State as part of that hunt, Florida grabbed Urban Meyer and the rest is history. Since then the SEC has gotten fat and happy from the TV money rolling in and regressed back to their old ways of being lazy with their coaching hires. Evidence: Dan Lanning is at Oregon and Steve Sarkisian is at Texas. Add those to the "why didn't SEC schools hire them first?" alongside James Franklin.

  The SEC's being down should benefit UGA. But that is only if Kirby Smart gets as serious about recruiting WRs and RBs as he is pass rushers and safeties.

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• dawgfromduluth ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate

  January 10

  https://forum.dawgnation.com/discussion/comment/786557#Comment_786557

  It could benefit us (and I care more about the Dawgs than the SEC at large) but….

  Kirby—arguably one of the best coaches in college football. But even the greats have their blind spots. Here are a few decisions Kirby might make that could derail Georgia’s 2025 national title hopes.

  First, there’s quarterback chaos. If Kirby can’t settle on a clear starter, Georgia could find itself stuck in a quarterback carousel. And let’s face it, those are as thrilling as a rollercoaster with no seat belts. Without consistency under center, the Dawgs risk early-season struggles and a season-long headache. A QB controversy in September? No thanks.

  Then there’s the receiver room, which, let’s be honest, looked more like a black hole last season. If Kirby doesn’t bring in some top-tier talent through the portal or recruiting, our offense might end up feeling like it’s stuck in the dial-up internet era. Picture trying to launch a deep ball to receivers who can’t shake a defender. Not exactly a winning formula.

  Speaking of the offense, sticking with a stale scheme could be another misstep. If Mike Bobo doesn’t get creative, we could be running the same predictable plays while the rest of college football evolves. The last thing Kirby needs is an offense so easy to read that even my wife could call the plays ahead of time - and she has.

  Defensively, overestimating his talent could be just as costly. Five-star recruits are great on paper, but if Kirby doesn’t adjust to modern, high-powered offenses, Georgia’s defense could get steamrolled by the likes of USC or Ohio State. It’s like trying to stop a freight train with a stop sign—it’s not going to end well.

  And let’s not forget the potential for locker room drama. If Kirby mishandles egos and the ever-growing NIL pressures, Georgia could go from a united powerhouse to a reality TV show. Star players demanding more NIL deals or fighting over touches could create chaos. Without his magical cohesion, all the talent in the world won’t help when it’s fourth and goal in the playoffs.

  Finally, there’s complacency—the silent killer. After recent multiple titles, it’s easy to assume the next one will come naturally. But if Kirby overlooks teams like Kentucky or gets too confident against weaker opponents, we could stumble into an upset that derails our season. You can’t afford to sleepwalk through a regular season when every team is gunning for you (thinking of our OL here).

  If Kirby clings to old habits and ignores the changing landscape of college football, Georgia’s 2025 championship hopes could slip away. A few wrong moves, and that national title could suddenly feel like a distant dream.

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