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3 big questions for Georgia football as Kirby Smart makes key coaching change
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3 big questions for Georgia football as Kirby Smart makes key coaching change
Stacy Searels will step into an analyst role with the program, clearing the way for Georgia to promote analyst Phil Rauscher as the new offensive line coach.
Comments
It was time for a change with the OL coach, hopefully Rauscher can bring back the Great wall of Georgia, and make it a strength, and not a liability. The running game improved in part to an improved OL this past season, with the help of Rauscher. Think I'd keep Coach Crawford as the RB coach, DAWGS looked really good at times running the ball, other times, not so good.. LB's had good games, and bad games also. Think i'd consider a replacement for Uzo-Diribe who can maximize the potential with UGA's talented LB room. Bobo? He called some great games this season, he also used a lot of WR screens that were mostly ineffective all sesson, i'm 50/50 on keeping Bobo. UGA may get a better replacement for Bobo, then again a new OC could be a total flop, and things go from bad to worse.. GoDAWGS!
Well, it can't hurt to try something new. Searles recruited ok, with our limited funds, but he just never "coached-up" the talent he had. Off topic, but with all the injuries in the OL room the last two years, Kirby may need to adjust his fierce practice habits because we no longer can recruit three deep like the old pre-NIL days. Looking forward to the new order!!
If it's out with the old model and in with the new NFL style coaching model…Coley next? No personal disdain for James, he is a classy guy, but I just don't see WRs developing at Georgia like I do at other high profile programs.
Pretty sure that all the screens were mostly due to the OL being not able to hold their blocks for at least 3 seconds….along with ball control or time of possession. Branch was a huge help in helping to sustain drives.
The screens was also a big reason that Gunner couldn’t see all of the developing routes downfield. Also a big reason for 12 wins.
There was big struggle with pass protection - but they are young and still growing. Pretty sure the OL will get there.
“The offense goes nowhere without the OL”. IMO - the offense did the best they could with what they had to work with.
If the line play improves (pass) , Bobo & Gunner will look like a geniuses next season.Just a hunch, but thinks there may be another change on ‘D.
The three questions that I have and the three that will remain until the Dawgs play again are: can the Dawgs generate explosive plays in the run and pass game, especially the pass game; can they get consistent pressure on the opposing QB, especially up the middle in the QB's face; when Stockton moves out of the pocket, will he make more off-schedule plays with his arm. The 2025 team was obviously a very good UGA team, but watching the NC game from the field in person on Monday, there were plays made on both sides of the ball that we didn't see from UGA all year. Plays that changed the game.
KS missed the one change that really matters..OC. We need a new secondary coach, the DBs got torched all year. Go Dawgs
May be off topic but curious if anyone knows. Does Searels take a huge pay cut while Rauscher gets a massive pay raise from his mid $70’s salary. Go Dawgs!
Crawford’s supposed recruiting ability hasn’t panned out and there’s a huge question mark at RBs after this year.
Also concerned about the secondary the past couple of years. Don’t know if it’s youth or lack of talent. Robinson having a good year is not necessarily a positive - one might argue with the right coaching he would’ve done better in year 1. Portal losses at DB are disconcerting too.
I don’t like to Assume anything. But just for a moment let’s say the O Line does in fact improve significantly and Consistently. The things we already know is Gunner will need to get much better at over the middle passes and deep passes. That point is conceded.
WRs and TEs will need to get better at getting separation from defenders, get open and of course Catch reasonably thrown passes. I’d like to see them fight even harder for not so well thrown passes. Those contested ones.
Now what I Really want to get to. I’d like to see much more innovation in our Run game. NOT gimmick plays and tricks. But long standing proven CFB running plays. A little More in the way of various sweeps and Perhaps a little Less up the middle between the tackles runs.
There Is a proviso to the up the middle run. Each rival defense is different, sometimes similar but personnel and coaching style there are differences. So if Dawgs are trying to pound the rival defense into submission using Frazier and Bowens then No I wouldn’t all of a sudden flip to sweeps, though those are exhausting to defend as well. So the Run game would have to be tailored to the rival we face.
I’m just not a big fan of up the middle because to many bad things can happen there. RB trips over his own Lineman, your own Lineman accidentally knocks the ball out of the RBs hands in the microsecond after the RB gets the ball, etc. etc. There’s just Allot of traffic in up the middle runs. The RB doesn’t have as much time to get his body going forward.
Now even though I’ve said these things When it’s executed Properly and Powerfully then yes of course up the middle can work really well and can be an exhibition of raw power and strength by a good RB. I’m Not saying totally abandon it. I just think that Perhaps it’s a bit over used by our Dawgs. Tried to run Gunner B2B right up the middle and both times he was stopped for losses vs OM.
I don’t like seeing the RB or QB trying to run Up and Over their own Lineman !! Here’s just one example of a Maybe. Imagine Peanut Phillips on a toss sweep !! With the blazing speed that kid has !! Now if he hits hard in the weight room he could be a force this year !! It doesn’t Have to be Peanut either in that image, it could be Frazier. Just my take as the great coach and remarkable expert I am !! 🤣
Don't disagree with you but the bigger problem, given the way we recruit WR, is there's not enough to actually develop.
Coley's forte has never been coaching. He is considered a top recruiter with deep ties (and success) recruiting south Florida. Not just at WR.
UGA failures recruiting/developing WR is a chicken and egg argument. Guys not developing or recruited guys just not top shelf?
Next year will tell the tail. TT and CJW both 4/5*. Can TT catch the ball consistently and can CJW consistently get separation?
W/NIL trumping recruiting relationships, '26 is make or break for Coley.
As for the "Hines Ward for WR coach" crowd it is never gonna happen. How many of you have ever heard Coley speak? How many would recognize him on the street? My point is CKS likes young, hungry low profile guys working day and night as assistants. Ward is none of those. Assistant coach is an extremely tough job. 24/7/365. High profile, successful ($$) former professional athletes are probably not going to thrive in such an underappreciated and anonymous role. Nor are they willing to put in the hours CKS demands.