It’s hard not to share Paul’s qualms about yesterday’s news that the offensive line will undergo a fairly significant rearrangement for Saturday’s game.
Georgia’s coaching staff was already looking to switch up its starting offensive line before left tackle Kiante Tripp sprained an ankle in practice.
The redshirt sophomore was limited on Wednesday, but is probable for Saturday’s game at Arizona State. It also appears probable that Vince Vance will still start in his place at left tackle.
That’s one of several changes looming for the starting lineup. Freshman center Ben Jones and redshirt freshman right tackle Justin Anderson could be in as starters and freshman right guard Cordy Glenn could be out.
It’s understandable after watching the less than stellar play Georgia got out of the line against South Carolina, but to be making wholesale changes like that a quarter into the regular season is gutsy?… desperate?… part of the unfolding plan? You decide. That being said, if there’s one coach on Georgia’s staff that I’m not going to question, it’s Stacy Searels.
What this does, of course, is put the pressure squarely on Matt Stafford’s shoulders to manage the game and stay out of trouble. Stafford leads the SEC in passer rating; one big reason for that is that he’s yet to throw an interception in a game (thanks in part to a timely pass interference call against South Carolina).
Clearly Richt sees this season developing for Georgia in much the same way as last year did. He’s hoping to sort out the young talent and get the team playing with greater confidence in time for the meat of the conference schedule.
“It’s more of a production issue,” Richt said. “We want to start the guys that we think will give us the best chance and the other guys will still play. I don’t think really think it’s been established where everybody will end up.”
The good news is that he’s ahead of last year’s pace with the win over SC (can I say that?). The bad news is that the meat of the schedule arrives very quickly.
Get The Picture 
I believe in CSS as well. However we need to get this 0-line situation settled. We can, hopefully, afford to tinker with the positions a little this week but we have got to have them solidified by next week. That game is really making me nervous.
I think all this rotation on the o-line is probably due to frustration rather than desperation or any other motive. They were obviously practicing well at these positions but did not perform as well in their first real test. That has got to drive a coach nuts.
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“That being said, if there’s one coach on Georgia’s staff that I’m not going to question, it’s Stacy Searels.”
Exactly! Not to mention the fact that Searles has no problem making adjustments if needed mid-game. I see this as a positive. They recognized a weakness & are fixing it, before Bama’s D comes rolling into town.
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First, I believe in CSS.
I also agree with you, Dean and PWD. CSS has the credibility with CMR to change the lineup around at his discretion based on performance.
We need to throw up 30+ this week to make me feel comfortable – let alone cover. I took the Dawgs minus the points but have to say that I’ll take a Cliff Lee like 3-2 game and get the hell out of hell.
Go Dawgs!!
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You can’t argue with CSS after last year, but I find it odd to make the changes after the SC game. You would think the coaches wouldn’t be “surprised” at the results – there was an obvious step up in talent in SC compared to GSU and CM. I’m sure the coaches were expecting better results, but to spend 3 games with a certain lineup and then to make changes after one marginal performance rather than letting them continue to gel? My overreactionary vote 😉
3 games in to a long season would be seems desperate to me.
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I’m scared of Alabama. If we don’t get settled in this week we might end up being clemson 2.0 in two weeks.
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It seems a little bit over-reacting to me. It was our first game against a quality defense so of course we struggled. But CSS sees them every day and knows what to do.
I’m also scared of Bama and think that this change is a pre-emptive strike to make sure we confident for two weeks from now.
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Please don’t let Bama fans get wind of us being ‘scared’ about that game…
That’s not what we need.
I say, let the coaches coach. We’ll be fine.
Go Dawgs!
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The only thing that scares me about bama is incest and tainted moonshine, and that’s mostly because I live here.
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