Youth is served.

This, from Mark Richt’s press conference today, will open your eyes a little:

The theme of Richt’s first presser of the 2007 season was the enormous amount of youth and inexperience on this year’s squad. Richt estimated that we will see between 18 and 20 freshmen play in the Bulldogs’ season opener Saturday evening (6:45 p.m.) against Oklahoma State. He wasn’t sure but thought that is probably the most he’s fielded since becoming Georgia’s head coach in 2001.

“A lot of it has to do with us redshirting an awful lot of players last year,” Richt said. “But I think there’s at least seven true freshmen that are either going to start or play. It bodes well for the future — I hope.”

Yes, but what about the here and now?

“Does it concern me?,” Richt said. “Yes. But I like the way they’ve practiced… . I feel better now than I did when camp started… . If the pressure doesn’t get to them, then I think they’ll be OK.”

This is when you have to trust the coaches as talent evaluators and teachers, that’s for sure.  Again, I do like this team’s chances if they can get through the first two games successfully.  We just have to hope it’s not too big an “if”…

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Just block, baby.

Ching reports that Ward and Figgins are the top two at tight end now.

I’ve said it before – there’s a primary reason not to redshirt Figgins.  He may be a true freshman, but he’s a polished blocker:

Figgins’ technically sound game has impressed his coaches in preseason practice, particularly his capability as a blocker. It helps his cause that at 6-foot-4 and 255 pounds, he already looks the part of a college tight end.

“He looked ready physically when camp began and he’s learning,” Richt said. “He’s a very good blocker. He was a great blocker in high school and he’s beginning to really get good at the college level, so that helps him.”

A decision like this indicates that the coaches believe the offensive linemen need help early in the season.  I suspect that’s another reason why Thomas Brown is the #1 tailback right now, as well.

Planting those seeds of doubt

Point: “The biggest wild card in the Georgia vs. Oklahoma State game is the new defensive coordinator for Oklahoma State.”

Counterpoint: “Right now, their defensive coordinator can’t just look at everything we’ve done the past couple of years and say, ‘Well, that’s what they’re going to do,’ ” Richt said. “He can’t be sure how Mike may call the game differently or what new twists Mike and the staff might put in. I don’t think there’s going to be that real, clear-cut confidence that ‘this’ is what Georgia does. I’m not even sure what Georgia does anymore. We’re all going to find out. What I’ve seen in practice has been very good.”

“For a Yankee girl, you sure don’t sweat much.”

Evidently Kirk Herbstreit thinks that attractive coeds are few and far between north of the Mason-Dixon Line.

Tuesday Steeleoid

With the unbalanced schedule, this one isn’t quite as lopsided as it appears on its face, but still…

Florida vs. Mississippi: In the last two meetings between these two teams, Ole Miss has upset ranked UF teams (#24 UF in ’03, 20-17 & #6 UF in ’02, 17-14). The last UF win in this series was in 1995.