A late morning nosh for you –
- The Quad offers a few more details on the Ron Franklin lawsuit.
- Per Chris Low, Stacy Searels is reportedly getting more than $400,000 to coach Texas’ offensive line. Any question why he’s leaving?
- Georgia Tech broadcaster Wes Durham manages an entire column on why regular season interest in college basketball is on the decline without mentioning March Madness. (h/t Toom)
- Manny Diaz and the fire zone blitz.
- Lots of coaching moves back and forth between the college ranks and the NFL.
- The NCAA’s vice president of enforcement doesn’t know if her folks are any busier these days, but they’re sure under more scrutiny.
- In related news, Mark Emmert thinks he needs a security detail.
Get The Picture 
Emmert could learn how to deploy a security detail from this expert:
http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/gubernatorial/private-security-staff-escorts-rick-scott-throughout-inauguration/1143529#comments
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That college basketball argument is borderline stupid. Having the season start during football season certainly hurts the viewership of those early games, but it doesn’t explain not putting butts in the seats now that football is over. And I don’t buy the argument that nobody goes to games because there are so many games on TV. I’ve never not gone to watch the Dawgs play some hoops because Syracuse and Georgetown were playing on ESPN. Whatever game the Dawgs are playing is the most important of the day, no matter what. I doubt it’s different anywhere else in the country.
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One thing that was fleshed out on the radio version was how the lack of interest in basketball helps the CFB bowl people substantiate the BCS.
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To Durham’s credit, he’s doing a part 2 (noted at the end of the article) which will include:
“Has America reached a point where college basketball only matters for three weeks a year?”
Should be interesting if he does it right.
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Oh Manny we hardly knew you but I for one am glad you are gone. I liked him at MTSU and would have loved to have had him at UGA. The kid is a winner and he gets college D, KISS (keep it simple stupid). I fear that the 3-4 pro style D is too much for our ADD boys to grasp. The 20 hour rule and UGA’s strict adherence to it will continue to kill us. Our players are not inclined to do extra film work or conditioning because they have been awarded a full 4 year scholly. They know short of a felony or flunking out of school their scholly is safe and they don’t really have to put in any extra me time. We are like a guppy swimming in a shark tank and I for one think we are self-screwed.
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+1.
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I have gone a full 180 on Searels since he came to Athens. In the beginning with so few OL prospects to work with, I thought he was a magician to mix and match the wounded as successfully as he did. It looked as if he would get us through the drought he inherited and there were blue skies ahead. The past two years have been disasters when we returned starters and had, seemingly, quality depth.
With recognition the S&C factor may be more serious than any of us know, there is just no excuse for the sorry product CSS put on the field the past 2 years, especially 2010. From ULL to UCF, we never faced a defensive front we could control this past season. That goes beyond anything a S&C coach could have done. Mr. February can have him, he may be just what they need in Austin (besides another HC), but we need someone else and I am appreciative of the opportunity this change can provide.
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Same here. I was sooo happy to get CSS and gradually turned to disappointment with our recent results. Maybe he can function better in a smash mouth offense and with better s&c – I’ll definitely have my ears tweeked up when Texas’s OL is mentioned next season and beyond. I’d say we should hire somebody who’s no-nonsense, but that’s pretty much a definition of CSS.
CMR has a chance to make a statement with CSS replacement. Get somebody who’s qualified! Hope he’s not thinking of hiring an old friend, past neighbor, an uncle or aunt, honduran missionary, unemployed former player, …..
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Brother-in-law?
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Has it occurred to anyone that CMR very quietly encouraged CSS to look around?
Just a thought . . . .
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I don’t doubt that, and think it is probable. Any analysis of the 2010 disappointment would have to start with the horrid OL performance. Had they been just average, not even close to #1 in the nation as Steele predicted, we would have won 10+ games this year, imo. Add to that a slow start for the running game in 2009 and he would have been my top candidate for change.
Many here will certainly disagree, and none of us know for sure so it is all speculative, but I think CMR was definitely in a position where a change had to be made. My guess is CMR would not have made a change before signing day but could not oppose it.
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First ‘rumor’ I heard on the subject was he wanted an extension and circumstances simply wouldn’t allow for it. Shocking.
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Think Diaz is a good coach. But sometimes coaches move before the opposing OCs get them dialed in the next season. Sort of like seeing an opposing pitcher on the next time up. When you watch the LSU clip you can see during those drives which only yield 3’s that MSU was goint to give up more…moreso since their O did not put pressure via the board. LSU is young and they did not have a top RB…one with speed would have spun MSU right off the field because LSU seemed to have solid line blocking. If you get the interior blocking and clear quick to the LBs RBs are in heaven. But why couldn’t we do that. Bobo and the running coordinator nevere figured that out. Not sure about his overall approach about schemes. Schemes are huge because you do not always have the players…you need a system to max the strengths of your players.
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I personally haven’t been impressed with our offensive line play very often in the last two years, so I am shedding no tears over the loss of Searels. However, Georgia is going to have to get on the bus in terms of paying more for assistant coaches. If you look at the last two BCS champions, one thing they’ve got in common is two of the most highly paid coaching staffs in the country. UGA is dragging their feet on this front. It’s going to start affecting us soon.
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If I’m CMR I’d look at these coaches to replace Searels
1. Mike Markuson – Ole Miss
2. Rick Trickett – FSU
3. Todd Spencer – GT
What do you think.
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Trickett’s not gonna happen.
I’m gonna concur with my learned colleague Doug Gillett and hope that Richt takes a look at this guy.
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Excellent choice except the reason why Herb doesn’t worry about free safeties could be a dealbreaker for Mark.
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I have been thinking a lot lately about what Ol’ Pete said when he left USC[the real one]. Pete said that Bill Walsh told his assistant coaches that ten years was long enough for a coach to stay in one place. Does one get too comfortable? Most coaches do not end their careers where they got their first HC job. VD and JoPa are exceptions, not the rule.
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CVD was going to leave UGA after the 1980 season for Auburn, his alma mater, but stayed because President Davidson told him that he would not let CVD coach UGA in the Sugar Bowl which would have precluded him from being the national championship winning coach that season. I have often thought of how that decision changed the future of UGA football. If CVD left Erk would have been named UGA HC and the program would have taken off like a rocket. Only the Good Lord knows how many national championships would have been won by the Dawgs in the ’80s with Erk at the helm. UGA probably would have been the dominate team in the SEC at least until Erk retired and probably even after that. FLA would not have ever become what it was in the ’90s (good teams-yes but champions-no since UGA would have continued to dust them yearly with Erk in charge). Davidson should have graciously let CVD coach that game and leave on pleasant terms. We all would have been better for it and weekends watching games at Sanford-Russell Stadium now would be much more pleasant.
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This doesn’t really fit any of the articles today, but I have a question. If your parent is an agent, can they continue to financially support you after you turn 18?
While I’m off subject, I think our recruits need to know about this…it could change their lives:
http://articles.cnn.com/2010-08-06/living/red.romance.study_1_attraction-cultural-differences-status?_s=PM:LIVING
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