In the comments to my post the other day noting the potential inexperience at the QB position looming for the 2010 season, the general consensus seems to be that there isn’t much to worry about because there’s plenty of talent stockpiled. And that may very well turn out to be the case.
But we’re fans, don’t forget, and we tend to think more of our own than others do sometimes. For example, I’ve seen many comments from the Georgia faithful here and elsewhere that take it as a given that Joe Cox will be fine running the show this season.
But what if we’re wrong about that? What if Doc Saturday has a better handle on the situation?
…There are certain disadvantages to having only a year to play: Because Cox is a fifth-year senior, he’s drawing comparisons to D.J. Shockley, who waited years behind David Greene to lead an SEC title run in 2005. He’s probably closer to Joe Tereshinski, who held down the fort before finally ceding the job to Stafford when the season started to come apart at the seams a year later. UGA has no one of even remotely Stafford’s caliber in the wings, but Cox’s (presumably) limited potential is likely to give way to whatever Gray or incoming Zach Mettenberger can bring to the table eventually.
I’m not saying Matt’s right (in fact, I hope he’s really, really off base here). I’m just saying sometimes it’s good to have a little cold water thrown in our faces.
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UPDATE: David Hale provides a thoughtful follow up to Doc Saturday’s post here.
Get The Picture 
I totally agree with the general premise of the post.
Having said that, no one who has ever seen Joe Cox and Joe Tereshinsky play football would think that they are similarly talented.
The Doc says Cox is ‘probably’ closer to JoeT and has ‘presumably’ limited potential. What is that based on, exactly? The fact that he wasn’t able to beat out a top 10, possibly #1, draft pick for the starting job?
What everyone is missing here is Richt’s history with QBs prior to Georgia. The one or two year starter was the norm at FSU back in the 90s, and they all did very well. And I expect that Cox is ‘probably’ just as talented as Thad Busby or Danny Kannell.
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Cox is demonstrably more talented that Tereshinski, so that negates the argument right there. Cox has come in on mop up duties and directed impressive drives, despite being given limited time to get himself in a rhythm. JT3 never was able to really do that.
And neither Mettenberger nor Murray are “remotely Stafford’s caliber”? Really? Wasn’t Murry one of the top rated QBs nationally?
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“Of Stafford’s caliber” might refer to “of Stafford’s caliber circa 2008.” While Murray or Mettenberger might develop to Stafford’s level as an outgoing junior, they certainly won’t be there this season.
I do think Cox will preform better than Joe T., but we should heed the Doc and not simply assume that that just because a fifth-year senior is starting for the first time following a successful, multi-year QB, that history will repeat itself. All these Shockley comparisons are unfounded and although they may be true I’m afraid they’re just setting us up for disappointment.
What if Cox is good, but not great, and we lose a couple early-season games a la 2007? Will Bulldawg nation start clamoring for our true freshmen to take the field? If we don’t win an SEC title is Cox’s season then a failure?
I just think we just let Shockley be Shockley and Cox be Cox and not expect history to repeat itself.
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Fair point Senator, it is easy to get yourself convinced of something you want to believe so badly. Listening to those “outside the circle” is always a good reality check. Doc has seriously overstated the problem with his comparison, but it does challenge your thinking to defend your position.
I think rating Joe Cox between DJ and Joe T is fair, but I feel he is very underrated by those outside the UGA camp (I recall DJ being regarded the same way coming into 2005.)
To not acknowledge the trade-off in experience would be a huge mistake by UGA fans, but outsiders place more emphasis on Staff’s draft status than the number of times he missed completely wide-open receivers. While I feel both supporters and skeptics have good arguments, the expected improvement in the OL will allow Joe Cox to exceed national expectations and have UGA competing for the SEC East crown. Against a tough schedule UGA has a solid chance to win 10-11 games again in 2009.
I am completely mystified about the challenge to Logan Gray’s ability. He would certainly be green in the experience area but I have seen nothing to justify any questions about his athleticsm. He looked pretty good in last year’s G Day game to me, and that is the only significant exposure he has had. I do wrestle with how well our offense fits his style, but trust CMR and CMB to have solved this riddle after two years of working with him.
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Are we likely to see all 4 QBs in the GDay game? Will the Frosh get reps?
There’s you reason to skip the Masters.
I can’t wait.
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As someone alluded to, I was scared about the QB situation going into ’05 after watching DJ bungle his was through the ’04 GT game until Greene came back to save the day.
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The difference there and I’ve said this before, is in the coaching staff, particularly Richt and Bobo’s words about Cox compared to Joe T.
Joe T. has never been praised by either as the best backup in the conference or maybe even the country.
Both MR and Bobo have said he may be that the past two seasons.
MR and Bobo have both said this was his job to lose.
Did you ever hear anything like that about JTIII going into 2006 spring or fall?
They have extreme confidence in Cox and that is why I have confidence. Has nothing to do with comparisons to DJ or JTIII as fifth year seniors.
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Just playing devil’s advocate with you for a sec here – you do remember what MR had to say about Brandon Miller prior to the start of the ’07 season, don’t you?
Sometimes a coach says things to motivate his players. Sometimes a coach says things that don’t play out, either.
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I think Brandon Miller has a lot of talent, mega amounts. I don’t know if he really loves the game though. And some people at his high school felt the same way when he was there.
I’m not saying he doesn’t do what the coaches ask, that he’s lazy or anything detrimental to his character.
I’m saying there are a lot of kids out there who have frames that say they should be playing sports, coaches ask them to come play and their born talent allows them to excel where the talent pool isn’t great.
I honestly think that looking at B. Miller the coaches were just expecting things to click and they never did.
That’s not Joe T III at all.
And that’s not Joe Cox either.
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“I am completely mystified about the challenge to Logan Gray’s ability”
So am I, as I’ve said here before. Gray looks like a good athlete, and he’s tough as hell. I don’t know what kind of passer he is, but I assume he’s pretty good considering he was pretty heavily recruited. Am I wrong on this?
Having a mobile, athletic qb never hurts, and I hope Gray can get some reps and throw off defenses this year.
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My opinion of Cox is this:
1. He’s a smart guy and a winner.
2. He’s not going to make some of the passes that Stafford made, and that may be a good thing.
3. He throws a very catchable ball.
4. He’ll do more to win games than to lose them.
I think we’ll find that Cox is a smooth signal caller that knows the offense extremely well. My prediction is that we’ll see less QB statistic production, but not W/L production.
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(Disclaimer: High school hype is about as (ir)relevant to college performance as NFL draft status is. See: Stafford, Matthew.)
That said… What did Stafford, Cox, Gray, Mett., and Murray all have in common? All were invited to the Elite 11 camp for the top 12 QB prospects in the country. Tereshinski was a damn good dawg, but he didn’t sniff that kind of rating. A phrase like “no one of remotely Stafford’s caliber” really makes me question the Doc’s credibility on this, even if Cox doesn’t do as well as we hope.
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I have faith in Cox and the team.while Cox mite not have the arm Stafford does he knows the system and can take some pressure.Like in 06′ when he threw a touchdown pass with 46 sec left.
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i still think joe cox will be a very solid qb–i agree with slh completely.
honestly, i think some of the confidence fans have in cox is an expression of (dare i say) mild relief that the stafford era is over. i appreciate stafford’s achievements and undeniable talent, and i admit that i was an early kool-aid drinker when it came to stafford-hype, going all the way back to his junior year in high school.
i haven’t intellectualized stafford’s uga career or decided what his legacy really is, but if i had to describe my own feelings about stafford at uga, i couldn’t avoid using the word “frustrating,” in addition to a lot of superlatives.
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I believe our offense will be just fine with a mature qb. See Ala. 2008. Cox has a complete understanding of the offense and an offensive line.
I’m curious how the coaching staff reponds to the new qb and lets him air it out.
This is good stuff.
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Mett shouldn’t even be in the conversation. He is soft and isn’t even JT III’s caliber. He has a scholarship because of his mother’s ties rather than just raw ability. He will leave the program before he plays a snap. Don’t believe me? ask some of the current players who have witnessed his general “softness”.
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Wow, disapponting post Pete. Perhaps you are just a Dawgvent poster and cannot get out of the negative habit of trying to run down our players/staff but this is classless. Mett may, or may not, become a top UGA QB, but no one knows at thos point. Spmeone felt he was a pretty good prospect and invited him to the Elite 11 camp and gave him an award. What we do know is a true fan doesn’t take cheap shots on an internet forum. Maybe you have an agenda against UGA, but you are no Dawg fan to me.
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