Really, when you get down to it, what did you expect, Dawgnation? Three of your top offensive skill players depart and you’ve still got the team suffering through the impact of a massive out-due-to-injury list. Fifteen or so spring practices isn’t going to convert what’s left into a juggernaut. So, yeah, it wasn’t flashy, it lacked consistency, but G-Day still showed some glimmers of hope.
- Quarterback. Joe Cox ain’t JT3, but he ain’t DJ Shockley, either. He really had to muscle up on the deep throws, and it showed. Logan Gray was a pleasant surprise, and it was good to hear the forgotten man get the love he did from Herbstreit and Nessler. His arm is certainly no worse than Cox’ and he’s got the ability to run (he was the QB most handicapped by the touch-sack rule on Saturday). Murray had the “wow” moment of the day with that forty yard bullet, but he’s a true freshman. Mettenberger has redshirt written all over him.
- Running back. Largely meh. As a group, they weren’t bad, but they weren’t Knowshon. Thomas provided a little excitement at the end, but clearly needs to get stronger. King looked smooth, but dropping screen passes isn’t going to cut it in the fall. These guys are going to need a healthy, effective offensive line to excel.
- Receivers. Let’s just say that if any of the incoming freshman receivers can live up to the hype, they’ll be on the field in the fall. Outside of Green, this group is a work in progress.
- Offensive line. No surprises here – some good, some bad. Get well soon, guys.
- Defensive line. See offensive line.
- Linebackers. There’s some depth here again, which is heartening to see. Good job in run support. It was great to see Marcus Washington take the field again – along with Curran, he’s got the highest football IQ on the defense.
- Defensive back. They didn’t look as good as the numbers might indicate, because of all the drops by the receivers, but there were occasional flashes. Sanders Commings is huge. Bryan Evans looked very comfortable at safety. Best of all, I didn’t see any shoulder bump tackling. But it looked like Bobo was exploiting holes in the zone all game, particularly with the tight ends.
Overall, I didn’t see anything to get especially worked up about, either positively or negatively, although it was clear that there has been a lot of attention paid to fundamentals on defense this spring. Not taking anything for granted is a good place to start. Now it’s just a matter of getting the talent deployed properly in August.
*********************************************************************
UPDATE: I didn’t mention the kicking game because, quite frankly, what’s the point? However, I will say it looked better than this.
Get The Picture 
Totally agree with the points, I was glad to see the Defense show some life. Spring football is what it is, and that is to get some of the rust shaken off before summer/fall practice prior to Ok St. I did expect to see Caleb King step up a little more than he has, hopefully he will live up to his hype. Also, those dropped passes need to get worked on I don`t know how many times dropped passes have bitten the Dawgs in the ass when a big game is on the line. The O-line will be better for sure, overall time will tell about this group. But, I see the potential for a great team that could surprise some folks. Go DAWGS!!
LikeLike
I was very pleased with Gray’s accuracy, and think he has a better arm than Cox (not overwhelmingly so). He was pretty off on one deep ball (to Spellman I think), but otherwise was putting it where it needed to be. And he was victimized by a couple of drops (but who wasn’t?).
LikeLike
Kicking video = hilarious!
LikeLike
Positive surprises for me were (in no particular order):
Logan Gray – It’s going to be hard to keep him off the field this year.
Aaron White – Yea he dropped a couple of passes but seems to be a good mismatch. Blocking has also progressed.
Justin Houston – Has the potential to be a beast especially when Owens and the rest of the D-line are healthy.
Sanders Commings – See Justin Houston.
Disappointments were (in no particular order):
The running backs – Other than Carlton Thomas none stepped up. Not surprising though considering most of the comments from coaches before G-day.
The receivers – Good grief not again.
The O-line – As you mentioned too inconsistent. Hopefully will be much improved by fall.
All in all not bad though. It’s a glorified scrimmage so you can’t expect much. It’s kinda catch 22 for me because while I would have liked to have seen a few more “fireworks” (and probably would have if not for the drops) I’d been concerned about our defense. I’ll just have to wait another 145 days to see how it shakes out.
LikeLike
Anybody watch the Masters?
LikeLike
I liked walking down the LB to the “hippo” at DE position (not to be confused w/Charles Haley who made the “elephant” position famous for SF and Dallas). Its a wrinkle that I think our D coaches can use to exploit a playmaker like #44, who I think was missed last season just as much as Owens. It gives the defense the option to walk down a LB in certain situations or back off and have a 4 LB set. Interesting to see if we continue to use this.
LikeLike
Agree with joe. Washington got into the backfield incredibly fast on some of those plays…I think that formation will be a good look.
Also, I thought Kalvin Daniels had a decent showing, despite only 3 carries. Yeah, his blocking has much left to be desired, but did anybody else think he hit the hole ridiculously fast?
LikeLike
I was not impressed, despite all the excuses above.
For example, first posted above are comments about the touch rule on quarterback sacks. Then, a discussion of beast bookend Defensive Ends. Excuse me. Was I watching the same game where every quarterback (All 4) sat back there in the pocket like they had all day.
And, what is this about a 4-linebacker set ? Marcus Washington played Defensive End, and has been MOVED from linebacker. He is 1 of 2 senior linebackers on this team.
Kicking game is mentioned above too. Would it not have been to our advantage to have had Blair Walsh kick off every kick, instead of spotting the ball at the 25-yard line ? Good Lord. We kicked the ball out of bounds ten times and kicked the ball for a touchback 1 time all season long. Now, we have not 1, not 2, but now Good Lord, 3 scholarships tied up at kicker because Bogoaty is now going to challenge Blair Walsh, who says he will keep that job, of kicking off.
Not 1 word about Fullbacks now playing Tailback ? Let’s see now. First, they tell us that Caleb King is the next Herschel Walker and then what ? Excuses above that he will become more consistent. He has been consistent. He can’t catch. He can’t run. They say he can block. Tailback ? Consistently now for all these years, Caleb King has not done 1 damn thing since coming on this campus.
Offensive Line ? Did you see any run blocking ? Until the last 2 plays after a series of timeouts before the end of the game, there was nothing. For either team. As for the last 2 plays, those were Carlton Thomas, all on his own. He willed himself into the end zone.
I’ve seen every G-Day Game for 50 years. This was the worst G-Day Game I ever saw.
Joe Cox ? Sorry, that was a miserable performance. Back-up Logan Gray was the only Quarterback I saw in that game that did impress. The other 2 threw an interception, or a pass that should have been.
We did nothing in that game.
Nothing.
Somebody said the secondary had good numbers in that game ? Every single walk-on wide receiver was wide open every single solitary play.
Aron White dropped every pass thrown directly to him Number 81 to set the tone of the “game.” He sucked. Then, he caught a few. We had not 1 single Tight End all season long last year that managed more than 5 catches on the entire season. That’s our Tight End ?
Fred Munzenmaier was not a Fullback, as he was the leading Tailback for the Black with 4 rushes for 2 yards each. He caught 1 pass for 4 yards. There was not another reception by a Fullback in the “game.” We have all these 4 quarterbacks on scholarship and 1 guy figured out to throw 1 pass to 1 fullback on the scrubs team.
You got 1 item correct. But, you didn’t say it correctly. We threw the first pass of the game to AJ Green. We NEVER threw the football in his direction the entire rest of the “game.”
Aaron Murray should have been intercepted. Instead that was a completed pass to man 15 yards from where he attempted to throw the football. He was 3 of 5 with that “completion” and zero touchdowns. Without that, he was 2 of 5 with an interception and -0- TD.
We have 12, a clean dozen linebackers on scholarship this up-coming season. That’s 4-deep at 3 linebacker positions. No one plays 4 linebackers. Jeez Louise.
Between both Red and Black, we ran the ball 42 times for a grand total of 1 yard and 6 tenths per rush.
We threw the football an equal number of times.
We had in 85 plays -0- touchdowns until we called multiple timeouts at the gun to allow Carlton Thomas to run into the end zone untouched.
We are a makeshift football team.
Don’t even start with this injury excuse with me.
We have 85 scholarships like every other school. We played 3 teams who were in the Final AP Poll Top 25 who beat another Final AP Poll Top 25 team. Against the 3, we gave up 29, 31 and 46 unanswered consecutive points.
We suck on special teams.
We, as everyone knows, have no defense.
Our Offense has been non-existent the entire 9-year now Coach Richt Era.
We cannot kick the ball off.
We cannot return kickoffs to save our mortal souls.
We cannot play Defense.
We cannot defend the pass.
We cannot pass the football.
We cannot run the football.
We just have for 9 years and counting been ranked in the Top 6 Best Recruiting Classes in the NATION every single year.
And, this is what we show before every player is interviewed post game, and to a man they all said their number 1 goal of the off-season is to NOT BE SUSPENDED like the 104 suspensions in the previous 8-years of the Coach Richt Era.
LikeLike
“nobody plays 4 LB’s?”
So you’ve never heard of the 3-4 defense? Really? Never? It seems to me that you are wasting a lot of our time with your extensive valueless thoughts. Get a clue, then get an opinion.
LikeLike
Sorry for my horrible rant above as lame name…I just thought I’d throw a grenade in your post.
Solid line play on both sides, especially since you have the majority of your starters out of this game. Imagine what your D and team will be with the 2007 D back again. LBs, Pressure from DE, Stud D Tackles….
Tough schedule, but look out
LikeLike
“First, they tell us that Caleb King is the next Herschel Walker”
Dude, thats your problem if you believed it.
LikeLike
BuLLdawg: Welcome back, Mr. Munson. We’ve certainly missed you on the gameday broadcasts.
LikeLike
My thoughts:
1) What exactly does King have that make him special? I don’t see it…..at all
2) We have nothing at WR outside of Green/Moore
3) Cox will be ok in 2009 but he won’t sniff a Shockley year offensively
4) Our DL will be solid….but far from great. We have Geno but unless Houston or someone produces on the outside, our D will continued getting burnt
LikeLike
Pingback: Georgia Bulldogs 13, Georgia Bulldogs 3: Random Reflections on G-Day | MrSEC.com