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- Please no inappropriate usernames (remember that there may be youngsters in the room)
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- 3/17/19 UPDATE -- We've updated the permissions for our "Football" and "Commit to the G" recruiting message boards. We aim to be the best free board out there and that has not changed. We do now ask that all of you good people register as a member of our forum in order to see the sugar that is falling from our skies, so to speak.
Comments
Ouch! (the photo w/Branch & Colbie breaking open). Either looks to be better option than Delp, who to your point is almost out of EZ & in a tighter window. You throw it up & near Colbie - TD! Hit Branch breaking - TD!
Maybe we really could use a Raiola or Curtis type?? Not saying them individually, but I'm not going to dismiss us losing 5* QBs anymore as not important. Not only do we miss 2 better options on last TD pass attempt, I keep seeing replays/photos of open downfield receivers where it appears we don't even notice (Branch especially on a crucial play). And it seems like these conversations on QB missing open receivers happened all season - all the way to the last game.
@1SICemDAWGS1….I don't disagree with you, because honestly, as they say, stats are for losers. So, I take it all with a grain of salt. BUT, it does show trends and areas where improvement is needed. And we certainly need better offensive production.
All I know is Indiana impresses the heck out of me on both sides of the ball. They handled Ohio State in a tough fight, and they destroyed a Bama team - supposedly a playoff worthy, top SEC team - like they were an FCS team or scrimmage team. They have proven their worth with a large amount of G5 players. That tells me that their coaching staff and culture is top notch.
And if the SEC is such a better conference with tougher opponents - WHY has the B1G won the last (2) National Championships (an SEC team wasn't even in either final game) and poised to possibly win a 3rd???
I think we can all throw that SEC "It just means more" stuff out the window at this point….not until we start proving it again on the field. If Ole Miss miraculously wins the next (2) games then we are all fools and Lane Kiffin is the winner (big Bonus whether he is there or not) !
Does losing a game always mean you were outcoached? I think that is one of the most overrated statements in sports regardless of who makes it. I really wish Coach Smart had been asked for examples of being outcoached because what I saw was being outplayed.
Yes, our players didn't execute. But we were ultimately out-played because we were out-coached. Our coaches didn't call (enough) plays to enable our players to be at their best. For example, many people believe (myself included), we should have established the run from the get-go because it (a) is a strength, (b) looked like we could have, Frazier in particular being as amped as he's ever been, (c) maintains momentum, (d) scores points, (e) keeps our offense on the field and theirs off, (f) wears down their defense, while keeping ours rested, (g) gets our players and our fans fired up. We gave all that up early-on (as in the first series), and the above script flipped. That's players failing because the coaches failed them. A collective effort of under-performing, but I put more onus on the coaches. Go Dawgs!
I agree completely, the SEC no longer reigns as the top dog ( unless Ole Miss can run the table and break that big10 streak at 2 titles), thats hard to admit, but the truth is the truth. NIL helped a lot in leveling that playing field for everyone, and brought parity to the game. No doubt that Indiana has a very good team. But, I never thought i'd live to see the day when they were the top team in the big10 lol
I do think you have to take into account the fact that the Big 10 only has 4-6 teams each year that are truly high capability while the SEC beats the stuffings out of each other at all levels before playoffs come around.
Would be interesting to see how many injured starters there are for top SEC teams at the end of each regular season vs the top of the Big 10, Big 12, and ACC. Given we have Duke, Ga Tech, IU, Navy, and VT grads as well as UGA folks in our family, my impression is that UGA regularly ends the season with more starting talent lost than the top of the other Power 4 conferences... same for Bama, etc.
I've said it earlier, but I'll update it here: I think the SEC is unlikely to have CFP champions in the near future (presuming NIL+TP remains unchanged... big "if") now that we have a 9-game SEC schedule coming. As an example, if you asked any CFB coach if they'd prefer to add Miss St or Florida to their schedule vs Purdue or Northwestern, I'm guessing the answer would be obvious...
I'm still "in Kirby we trust," but there's only so much swimming against the tide (thank you Sankey) one can do these days...
Indiana, it will be hard to deny them the NC. Best QB, best coach(this season), really good receiver and RB's, a (badass defense). Team is loaded with 3rd and 4th year players(maturity). 19 Juniors and Seniors on the starting 22! Reminds me of Michigan when they won it a couple of years ago when they had so many draft eligible players return.
I'm struggling to get over this game…the 2025 Dawgs were a real team, and seemed destined to surpass last season's sugar bowl effort. Those of us who watch every down of UGA football probably get those gut punch moments when it feels like it's not going to end well. For me, those were the crazy Chambliss scramble, the 4th down flub, Nate's injury, and the last FG to tie. Chambliss was playing out of his mind…can't help that, and you can't help injuries, but that 4th down play gave me flashbacks to the Justin Fields play in the 2018 SECCG - whether intentional or not, it just felt like a panic moment that we haven't experienced in a long time. This team had everything going for it, but Ole Miss was just incredibly prepared…their schemes were just masterful and you tip your cap to them. The Dillon Bell pass play intended for London probably works nearly every other time but it just fizzled out into a throw away.
Loser : Georgia fan(s)
turnout in New OrleansI have to disagree on the point about the fan support being a loser. The Dawg fans are losers, but not for the reason you state here. Dawg Nation is full of die-hard fans who invest an incredible amount of emotion into the games, and these past two seasons have had more cardiac moments than we can remember. So to have the game end in this fashion was quite a let down for those of us who endured all of the crazy endings. With that said, the superdome is every bit the home field for Ole Miss as the Benz is for UGA. This is the first CFP for Ole Miss, and the first shot at a title in who knows how many years. I would have been shocked if it wasn't like a home game for them, even with the usual Dawg fan support. Calling out the fans support just seems a little below the belt after this crazy season.
best team money can buy. Not denying Cignetti is a good coach, but google how much Indiana spent on football in last two years. Guess we have to decide which model we prefer - recruit kids who want to play for UGA and build, or hire mercenaries. Kiffin turned ole miss roster over totally with portal last 2-3 years. He was churning 60-70 players every year. Was curious so I looked up ole miss starters on offense and defense for Sugar Bowl - 3 players recruited out of high school on offense and 4 on defense. Key subs on both sides of ball also transfers. To some extent, we and other SEC schools are starting to get left behind in NIL arms race. For example, #1 rated portal QB from Cincinnati was being recruited hard by Kiffin to LSU but just committed to oil baron university aka Texas tech for a rumored $5 million dollar deal. For the record, I prefer Kirby’s model, but the playing field is getting tilted by mega donors at other schools.
@Kudzu and @76junkyarddawg…Good points. Unfortunately, with the rules of the game changing, more parity, teams like Wisconsin flipping star players that were committed to Bama (just an example of the craziness that is going on we never saw before), NIL, big money in the game, it will be A) Harder to repeat as National Champion and B) tougher to stay an elite team above the rest. It's getting more crowded in the top tier, and honestly, the SEC finding more parity means that there is slimmer differences in ability in most teams. And you obviously need more lady luck than you did before.
What are the differentiating factors?
I'd say Coaching and Development. Doing the fundamentals and executing better than anyone else. And that is what Cignetti harps on and bases his coaching on more than anything. I keep going back to Indiana, because we have never seen this kind of turnaround in the history of college football. It just doesn't happen, yet it has. Ohio State dominated in the playoffs last season, and honestly, I think Indiana may do the same. God, I would love to see the Dawgs tear up the competition like the Buckeyes did last season and Indiana is doing now.
Recruiting is still where Kirby will spend his time and money. He won't be going the Kiffin route. And like Ohio State did, spend most of the Dawg's money on retention of key players than paying for transfers. But, you gotta fill key holes in your lineup with playmakers. We simply do not have near enough true playmakers.
@reddawg1…Yes, a lot of G5 players Cignetti brought with him from JMU and that came from elsewhere (incl. Maryland). Just shows you what coaching and development can do for a team…along with that experience. It will be interesting to see if this Indiana team is once and done or can they somehow reload and be as competitive??
Concur…I too rather have Kirby’s model, thinks the other model is not sustainable long term.
Hit the NIL for what you need that year for the shortcomings…and if you have recruited well, it should be very little.
The SEC is not easy and will not get any easier with the 9 game schedule - but I am pretty sure the other conferences love it. It would be great to have your full team standing & healthy at the end of the year.
All plays don’t work, no coach/coaches are 100% correct all the time, very rare that teams win all games and sometimes the better team wins. But with just over half the team being freshmen & sophomores…..thinks.Kirby and staff did an incredible job. Would want no one different running my program.
How rare is it to win as much as Georgia has won since he’s been there?? Who has won more games the last 5 years in college football than he has that is active??
The writer of this article calling Kirby a “loser” is in fact the one that is the loser…even putting the word “loser” in the headline.
He really doesn’t understand the game, thinks if the play doesn’t work, it’s the call, only writes what he reads for the most part from others. It’s always whichever way the wind blows for him. The only thing he seems to be good at is being a troll - and even that is debatable, a 10 year old could do it.
The writer is grasping to hang on and failing at it miserably.
When considering all - we have a bunch of winners on this team…and that starts from the top.
Spot-freaking-on...!