By the media accounts, the offense had the better of it at yesterday’s scrimmage. I can’t say I’m surprised by that, given the obvious advantage in continuity the offense has at this point in time. In fact, I’d be a lot more worried if I were reading headlines similar to the (admittedly misleading) one the AJ-C currently displays about Georgia Tech’s practice: “Jackets’ defense impressive”.
So what can we take away at this point? Maybe these things:
- Zach Mettenberger. Say what you will about the quarterback competition today – and Richt says he’s comfortable with it – the one thing you have to accept is that Bobo has done a good job of making a functional quarterback out of a kid who looked completely flummoxed at last year’s G-Day game.
- Kris Durham. With three touchdown catches and the praise of A.J. Green, it sounds like his recovery from the shoulder injury that sidelined him last year is a successful one. Given the size of the receiving corps, that’s a fairly big deal.
- Vance Cuff. After watching him get burned repeatedly in his start against Georgia Tech last year, it’s hard to believe that this is the same player A.J. Green talked about yesterday: “He’s getting more aggressive. He has the speed to go with anybody, but he’s getting much better,” Green said. “He’s more slender, tall, and I feel like he can get his hands on you quicker than some of the shorter ones because he has long arms. And he’s just jamming a lot of the receivers at boundary, and he’s been real aggressive.” There are always players that benefit from a change in coaching; maybe Lakatos is giving Cuff the opportunity to shine.
- Offensive line. Richt credited the first team o-line with playing well; A.J. described the play of the linemen as “dominant”.
Needless to say, I’m looking forward to what we’ll see next Saturday.
Get The Picture 
I am still looking for something to get concerned about regarding the Dawgs. If there is a major problem area I do not know what It Is. Injuries could change that because I only see a lack of depth at some positions as something to be concerned about.
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It’s just a guess, but I think we’d be prudent to consider the defense a cause for concern until we see it succeed in an actual game. New system and all that. I’m optimistic that the players and coaches are installing it smoothly, but we need to see it in action and it’s reasonable to expect some adjustment.
And call me paranoid, but whereas I do like this theme of aggression on defense, I also fear more excuses for penalties against us. Whereas Florida “gets away with another one” in nearly every game they play, we don’t get that kind of leeway.
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Agreed,
Take it a level higher,
We have everything we need to play and win conf champ game Dec 4, and BCS bowl.
No more excuses.
Def and spec teams will improve.
Only question mark ? QB?
Note to CMB: keep it simple for the QB.
Run the ball. Ball control passing. Short passes, first downs. Eat clock.
Yes, we have unlimited potential 2010, unless our coaches confuse and complicate everything.
They say you cant win with a freshman QB?
We will prove them wrong.
Undefeated 2010 regular season.
Go Dawgs!
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Pingback: Scrimmage #2: Leather Helmet Blog
Cuff must have grown a good bit… because I had class with him a year ago, and “tall” is not an adjective I would use to describe him.
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“Tall” in relative proportion to other CB’s, which are not generally taller than 5’9″.
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http://dawg-extra.blogspot.com/2010/04/robinson-arrested-on-battery-charge.html I told you so….. IF brat-gate is true (fb players), 2010 will be the last for CMR(sadly). c’est la vie
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I’ve been a UGA fan all of my life, but after watching both UGA & Tech practice this week, I’m now switching to the Yellow Jackets.
That offense is just so much fun to watch and ever since they switched to the 3-4 their defense will become as good as their offense.
Not to mention they’ve added the shotgun into their playbook.
So long Athens. As they say on North Avenue, TO HELL WITH GEORGIA!
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*rolls eyes* whatever! Tech players can’t even properly count to 3 or 4 much less play it!
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You were never a true UGA fan. Also, I hope you like losing.
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Peace out, moron. You were never a real fan of the program.
No self respecting fan of ANY football team would switch allegiance so easily based on one spring practice, especially to the in-state rival.
I pity Tech for having to take you on as a fan, you will certainly devalue the pool.
And since I’m sure you’ll be willing to jump ship at the first loss, please be aware that you’re not welcome back here
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But…he will enjoy his hotdog/cokes/tickets combo meal. Also the exciting atmosphere of a 3/4 filled stadium for a conference game.
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Old Tech Joke:
Tech fan calls Tech ticket office,
“I need 4 tix to Saturday’s game. What time does the game start?”
Ticket staff:
“What time can ya’ll be here?”
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Hey George, seriously man, suck my balls. Nice pic too. You have Tech fan written all over your smug face.
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It shouldn’t be surprising to see players on D that got burned last year IMPROVE this year
We have an actual defensive coord. now who also has other, new coaches teaching things like fundamentals….and how to get an INT…and other basic things that 99% of college football teaches except the man who led our D the last few years
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True,
Now, we have no more excuses on def.
The def and spec teams WILL improve, cant get much worse ( conf and nat’l stats)
New sheriff in town:
Coach Todd “The Enforcer” Grantham.
Cant wait for Sept 4.
Only 151 days,
Go You Hairy Dawgs!
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How could you not discuss instead the arrest yesterday morning of yet another Georgia Bulldog football player ?
Quote from a blog post at 11:45 p.m. last night :
“All these off campus incidents need to stop.”
Well, unfortunately, we have become a group of fans who have a new list of excuses for each and every 1 of now 90 arrests / suspensions in the Coach Richt Era that began now 9 years ago. That’s 90 available today on the Internet 9 years later, documented.
You can say that he was a very good football player. He was. He was previously suspended twice for 3 games on 2 previous arrests. 3 of the 90 arrested / suspended Georgia Bulldogs in the Coach Richt Era are his alone.
T J Stripling 6’6″ 215 lbs. 4.6 speed was going to beat him out as Starter on the field at some point and Montez Robinson 6’5″ 235 lbs 4.6 speed was going to be a big help coming in off the bench, although Robinson was recruited here one year ago.
In that year, Coach Richt has taken a lot of heat for his 90 now arrests / suspensions readily available for anyone to see on the Internet. This at a time when for the last 4 years since DJ Shockley’s graduation when UGA has gone 1-3 vs the vols 1-3 vs Florida 21 fumbles a year for the last 4 years now 14 interceptions a year for the last 4 years now and averaged # 96 in the NCAA in Penalties the last 4 years now.
We have never beat a Final AP Poll Top 10 Bowl Opponent. The 1st SEC Championship we got 5-loss FSU and the 2nd SEC Championship we Lost our bowl game. That was 5 years ago now, this coming season. In these last 4 years since we have gone 10 wins 10 losses the last 20 games against SEC East teams. We did get to play in a 3rd BCS Bowl game against what is in fact Hawaii Number 19 in the Final AP Poll, but that was after we lost to the 4-loss vols and lost to the 6-loss South Carolina when South Carolina did not even play in a bowl game.
We cannot get out of our own division, fired the entire coaching staff on the defensive side of the ball except for the 1 guy who recruited Montez Robinson here, and should have fired the entire offensive coaching staff.
Instead, Coach Richt has taken over all the Offensive Coaching Staff’s duties. Teach the Quarterbacks, run the offense, and even determine the depth chart for the offensive coaching staff.
You can expect another arrest May 5. It is what we have done for 9 solid years.
Montez Robinson was the number 8 best Defensive End in the nation and the top football player of all positions in the state of Indiana. Alabama, for example, thought they had Montez Robinson this time last year, only to have our recruiting class rankings add Montez Robinson instead.
We have not done our duty to society with Montez Robinson. We have had to react to now 90 arrests / suspensions readily available for all to see on the Internet like this story right here by David Hale in the Coach Richt Era.
Comparing us to Florida over the Coach Richt Era or even over Urban Meyer tenure, we have had a lot more arrested / suspended than Florida – although Florida’s are more high profile.
The problem is that our 90 arrests / suspensions in the Coach Richt Era are 1 a month for 9 years. March 7 Zach Mettenberger to April 4 Montez Robinson for example.
There are actually more than 90 arrests / suspensions in the Coach Richt Era. I don’t have the time or inclination to find them when these 90 pop right up for everyone to easily tally up.
It’s a problem for Coach Richt in the face of him having to take over the Offensive Coaching Staff’s complete job description admitting Mike Bobo cannot handle it all by himself and having to fire his entire Defensive and Special Teams’ Coaching Staffs as well. It is obviously not possible to go a month without an arrest / suspension.
Just as it is not possible for us to beat a Top 10 Final AP Poll team in a bowl game – you know a big huge win on the national stage.
Just as it is not possible to beat Florida.
Just as it is not possible to have the expectation to win more than 10 games in 14-game seasons nowadays.
9-4 or 10-3 that is our HOPE for the season.
QB ? Do we have a QB ready like Florida has ? No. We did not have one ready for 2010, 2009 or 2006.
Maybe we should have done more for Montez Robinson. We have bigger fish to fry right now than deal with him on top of all this. Best of Luck Montez Robinson. You should have chosen a place without 90 arrests / suspensions where you could be dealt with properly. You obviously did not fear your 1 game suspension Shreveport Bowl Game your 1st arrest last October 20 beating up a woman. You did not fear your 2 game suspension to start this 2010 season with your 2nd arrest November 30 then bashing her car’s taillights drunk in public, and now you have another battery arrest. The best place for you to learn that lesson is in jail.
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Get your own blog, please.
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Mr. Brown,
You are correct, sir.
True. Ditto. Ping. Right On.
We love CMR.
But we must look at the big picture.
“…we have become a group of fans who have a new list of excuses…”
True, every day I read new excuses.
Are we complacent with avg 9-10 wins each year, middle of our div, humiliating blowout losses to the hated gators, dropping out of the BCS picture?
Does our football program have a reputation of criminals and thugs?
Sure, Miami recruited players out of jails and prisons. We all know this. But at least their coaches got the job done, fielding unbeatable teams and multiple national championships.
Is our beloved head coach on the hot seat?
If not, it is starting to warm up.
Coaches and players may come and go, but we are steadfast and loyal to our Dawgs, every play of every game.
Go You Hairy Dawgs!
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You should have finished high school.
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Jesus man, my 7 year old son has better grammar than you. I feel like I just got a lobotomy after reading that post. It took every once of my being to struggle through that mindless, incoherent nonsense. Please devote your time to more pressing issues, like running in traffic.
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90 arrests ? Montrez is the only Dawg that has done anything that justifies getting kicked off the team. If the Taxi incident is true, they should be dismissed also.
Personally one of the things I most admire about CMR is his no nonsense, you will be punished appropriately, type of discipline. Montrez & his brother may well come back to haunt us as players for one of our rivals. That is okay. Glad he is gone.
Also, CMR is the most successful HC the Dawgs have ever had:and, in my opinion, the best HC the Dawgs have ever had. All of the tripe I read otherwise is just that, Tripe..
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