Look, who are we kidding here? You’ve got a middlin’ Sun Belt Conference team playing in Georgia’s home opener – Appy State rogue thoughts aside, the Dawgs ain’t losing this game. So there’s your game preview (wait ’til you see what I cook up for Idaho State).
But there is one comment about the game I’d like to make. Earlier in the week, Paul asked the musical question “what are you expecting to see on Saturday?”. For me, it’s real simple: I’m expecting to see a rise in confidence. I’m expecting to see players start trusting their coaches again and vice versa. I’m expecting to see a kickoff coverage game that’s drained of insanity and a punt return team that isn’t scared of its own shadow.
Let me see that and I won’t get too focused on the margin of victory, one way or the other. But if Georgia’s going to have a good season, that’s where things have to start from game one.
Tell us what you’re looking for – and what you actually see today – in the comments section.
Get The Picture 
OL – manhandle them, no injuries
RB – patient, hard running, good blocking
WR – block downfield, catch (of course)
DL – big push, quickness
DE – ultra aggressiveness, pressure, watch the slants
LB – effectively cover the underneath pass, tackle everything possible
S, CB, FS – where do I start? Play the ball! Tackle! Less cushion!
QB – smart, patient, few mistakes, confidence builder
Above all – create turnovers and limit penalties
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so much for the manhandling from our OL.
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Guessing we have an uninspired blowout.
If you thought the hotseat talk was ridiculous over the past year, just wait until USC splats us in Columbia next week and a few more players get arrested…
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You really take the time out of your day to post this. All for what? To pretend you can see the future? To make everyone aware of the miserable state of existence you live in? Give me a break and don’t pretend that you are an actual fan. If you can’t enjoy being a fan this time of year, you need another hobby.
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just a realist man. know how to call a spade a spade. the senator asked and i answered. i’m sorry if you can’t handle a fan with a realistic view of the state of the program
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Jim – what specific reasons make you think uSC will win so handily? I only ask because I too thought they looked good the other night. But I think UGA will look good today. Given the competition in both games I’m not sure how you could draw any real conclusions.
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Unfortunately SC almost always makes it difficult on us.
The game is in Columbia and after watching us come out sluggish in so many games and generally underachieve the last few years, Richt needs to convince me he can coach up our players instead of having a “gameplan” of putting better athletes on the field than the opponent.
We haven’t looked or played like a well coached team much the last few years (although GT last year sure was nice) – I’m tired of closing my eyes and hoping for the best, only to be disappointed.
Nobody wants us to win more than I do. I said we’d lay an egg against the Vols last year and got flamed for it –
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So, really it’s more about the Dawgs than it is the Chickens. Fair enough. I ‘m hoping some of the complacency went out the door when he made the coaching changes. For the most part the offense was very good last year (UT and OSU aside). If the defense can be improved I think the Dawgs can be really good again. And as far laying eggs against the Vols, the Tide did it too. They just found a way to win the game. Even the best teams have bad games, it’s just the great teams still find a way to win those games. I still don’t believe the Chickens will “splat” the Dawgs next week.
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“Even the best teams have bad games, it’s just the great teams still find a way to win those games.”
No offense, but I wouldn’t say the Sugar Bowl against WVU, UT 3 of the last 4 years, ‘bama in ’08, Kentucky last year, Florida the last 2 years, etc. (just off the top of my head) constituted a “bad game that a great team would have found the way to win.”
They constituted a complete and utter meltdown in most or all aspects of our program. Completely and totally unprepared to play in some instances, completely outcoached in others.
I’m not even going to get into all of the games against inferior opponents the last few years that we won by the skin of our teeth.
Make no mistake, we have some of the best athletes in the country. Richt and his staff have proven time and again that they are not capable of coaching our team to anything close to its full potential. Even the glorious year of 2007 included a complete meltdown in Knoxville (you have to admit we were NEVER in the game – might as well have stayed in Athens) and a typically frustrating loss to a far inferior Gamecock squad where we had every chance to win and blew it time and again.
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Jim – I couldn’t agree more. There have been some real duds the last few years. Hopefully shaking up the coaching staff will, as I said, get rid of the complacency. I still believe CMR can turn it around. Call me an optimist.
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What a crappy attitude. Our coach made a much needed change in coaches and you give him no time to prove the change was good.
The arrest thing is bs too. Yes, we recruit the best talent and that brings guys with issues sometimes. And not bad issues as compared to other programs.
Would you prefer we recruit the honor society?
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I know college kids do stupid stuff. Always have and always will.
I sure don’t want to recruit choir boys but I guess if we were living up to our potential on the field I’d be a little more patient on the arrests.
However, the ealey and ogletree arrests have pushed me over the edge on this topic – yet another sign of a lack of discipline in the program.
Between the arrests and 1-2 games/year we forget to show up for you have to admit it can be embarrassing to be a dawg fan at times. If not I question your pride.
Nobody wants me to be proven wrong more than me…
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I expect to see a sluggish offense. Why? Far too many from the o-line were out for extented periods during fall camp. Only 1 tested RB will be playing in this heat (noon kickoff). RS Freshman making his debut (2+ picks) He felt the jitters during the spring game! Without AJ, our receivers are average as grits. With no offical word from the NCAA, Richt has no choice other than sitting AJ. As for the D – new staff + new scheme + lack of quality talent top o bottom = good effort, but far too many blown assignments. Final Score: Dawgs win 34-17. See above reasons for loss to SC next week.
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See Tarkenton’s comments here: http://www.stationcaster.com/player_skinned.php?s=87&c=671&f=57388
I have already voiced these concerns all summer.
South Carolina notes:
1)They looked “well coached”. Few mistakes. They were able to to gain short yardage in situations where there was nothing
2)Garcia has matured and is poised
3)They have consistent good execution on offense.
4)Few penalties.
That’s just the offense.
We will see today if Georgia is “well coached”. That’s the single biggest complaint the Dawg Nation has had when watching Georgia. The game ends and you feel or you say…………”They don’t look well coached!”
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Sorry to disagree about scu, but the penalties made the game almost un-watchable, particularly the 2nd qtr. The refs completely ignored all the WR push-offs. Holloman’s interception should have been pass interference, and 1st & goal for SM. I thought it was a sloppy game and wasn’t impressed with either team.
Dawgs coaching needs to step up this year – you nailed that one.
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Really? If you consider WR screens and dump off passes “matured and poised”, then sure I buy that argument. Let’s see what SC does against a defense with a pulse.
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C’mon on guys. This is beginning to take on the tenor of a Tennessee blog.
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Looking for one thing in particular today……Aaron Murray to remain upright and in one piece. I don’t know about you but I’ll be holding my breath on every sack/tackle. This issue above all others concerns me seeing as we really don’t have a viable #2……..this is not a knock on Mason, just the reality of being a true freshman in the SEC. That combined with Logan Gray not seeing any snaps at QB is scary. Redshirt must come off Mason today. He needs real experience and it’s not realistic to think that Murray can play every down this year. LeMay in wings as well.
Also, I’ve heard people say that murray should hand it off all day…not so. Do you really want his virgin passing experience to come in front of a hostile crowd in Columbia?
Go Dawgs.
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Agree. CMR needs to let Murray throw the ball and try to settle in and get ready for next week, because Spurrier and Ellis Johnson will damn sure be ready for him.
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I’m looking for that O line to be a force all season. I like CSS, he’s a great recruiter and believes in smash-mouth football. His veteran line has no significant injuries and a deep bench. If they don’t dominate today and all year long I’d have to reconsider whether CSS can coach.
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Senator……..Come out, come out wherever you are………..no hiding on gameday!
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Ummm…I’m pretty sure he’s at the game.
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Wish I could watch AJ play today…
But apparently he is being held out, per the Dawg Post.
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It is absolute BS that the ncaa can’t come to a conclusion on AJ Green, either he went to Miami or he didn’t. If he didn’t then they need to clear him and not cost him and the UGA team over something that never happened. Too bad the NCAA can’t be fined for punishment if it comes out Green did nothing but had to sit out a game anyway.
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I’m mainly looking for the defense to be agressive and fundamentally sound. It won’t be much of a test for the offense, so even if they aren’t particularly sharp they’ll put up over 40.
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At 2:28 in the first half.
Both sides of the ball look crisp. Only sloppiness is 2-3 false starts. Defense is dominating. Offense is efficient. How much is is & how much is ULaLa? I don’t know but the sloppiness is way down from last year.
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The competition wasn’t great but I was really encouraged by the tackling. It didn’t even look like the same bunch of guys. The last several years of the Martinez regime it would look like our defense was just 11 guys who met for the first time earlier that morning and decided to give major college football a go, today we looked like we had practiced. Man I loved how Grantham got on em’ after the La Lafayette touchdown you could have boiled an egg on the back of his neck he was so pissed. With Martinez gone there was really no where to go but up but I am very encouraged about the defense, their will be some growing pains I am sure but I’ve got real hope Grantham can right the ship. Murray looked good too, I worry about next week being his first time on the road and against an opposing SEC defense but I think he’ll be strong and he looked like he might really have the “it” factor that some have said he had all along. The people who were pouring ashes on their head about Mettenberger should be a little bit reassured today. If there is one thing Richt and Bobo can do it is coach quarterbacks, I’ve said it before but the real problem with UGA the last several years has been that the defense and tackling and have been getting progressively crappier every year, if that can be fixed the sky is truly the limit. Again just La Lafayette but we beat them as thoroughly as you would expect a good team to do, I couldn’t have probably beaten them much worse on the playstation. I hope we get A.J. and Washaun back soon. Go Dawgs.
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Man oh Man …. we got ourselves a qb!
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Murray looks really sharp, save for the INT that the safety dropped in the end zone. But I’ll say this: based on what I’ve seen in each QB’s first half today, I would much rather have Murray under center than the much heralded John Brantley.
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We got ourselves 2 QBs.
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3 false starts in the first half!!!
Fire Searles!!
I hope Richt feels his seat heating up.
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I watched Grantham after the long ULaLa TD. I couldn’t hear, but he seemed to be saying the letter ‘F’ a lot.
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yes he was….so was I.
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I’m not a very good lip reader, but it seemed he was asking the players about their Mothers and Fathers an awful lot.
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I bet he eats live animals.
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about as much as a fan could ask for thru 3 quarters. i particularly liked grantham’s disgust at the easy long TD we gave them.
i hope murray doesn’t try to run it so much against SC – their linebackers will make him pay.
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I hope Garcia tries to bull his way into the end zone our LB’s will make him pay!
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I think we played well and our qb did a damded good job. The dropped pass is history. He ran when needed and did quite well.
Defense looked well too so we’ll see next week versus better players. And maybe our stars will be back.
I would hate to prepare for us.
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I was scared when our first KR coverage was as bad as ever… that fear died fast.
Murray looked great.
Our defense looked great.
We had 3 picks and a +2 turnover ratio.
Great pressure on the QB.
Good special teams.
I know this was a weak team, but how long has it been since we even played this well against a weak team.
I am guardedly excited. GO DAWGS!
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As much as I liked grantham yelling at bacarris blown coverage, I liked that he yelled just as much on the 4th down stop, with close to as many f bombs. The dude gets people jacked up, and it showed with the aggressiveness out there today. Intense attacking style much much better tackling= WAHHH?! I was impressed
hate to be vauge but murray has “it” (moxy,playmaking abilities, nads, whatever u wanna call it). Just hope he’s smart
about some of that freewheeling and doesn’t get burned against sec d’s
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The team looked great on both sides of the ball and on special teams, too. Very encouraged about the rest of the season. That said, what’s with that UGA commercial. It looked like something a bunch of 8th graders put together. It was embarrassing to the University of Georgia for something that poorly done to be shown on television.
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Looked like UGA was equating college with kindergarden.
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