Georgia is still in the thick of things – actually you could say that things have gotten thicker – so I’ll keep the stat watch going (background here). Here’s what I’m watching:
- Hold opponents under 17 points per game.
- Finish at least +8 in turnover margin.
- Average better than 380 yards per game on offense.
- Finish in the top five in total defensive yardage.
- Finish in the top three in first downs.
- Finish no worse than third in passing yardage.
- Finish no worse than third in sacks.
… and here’s where the Dawgs currently stack up.
- Hold opponents under 17 points per game. Scoring defense is at 20.43 ppg.
- Finish at least +8 in turnover margin. Now at +5.
- Average better than 380 yards per game on offense. In total offense, Georgia is averaging 411.14 ypg.
- Finish in the top five in total defensive yardage. Georgia ranks third in total defense.
- Finish in the top three in first downs. Georgia is fourth in first downs.
- Finish no worse than third in passing yardage. Georgia is third in passing yardage.
- Finish no worse than third in sacks. Georgia is tied for second in sacks.
Well, Vandy didn’t help defensive scoring as I had anticipated and the Dawgs slid one spot in first downs. But everything else was shored up. Georgia’s definitely on pace to meet that turnover margin goal, as long as the offense doesn’t bleed too much.
Stay tuned for further developments.
Get The Picture 
I know I typically view this program through a glass that is half empty, but I have a question. Following the past 5 weeks, is this a team of smoke and mirrors? Yes, they have a 5 game winning streak. Yes, Crowell looks like they real deal. Yes, the D looks better. But has this team really improved in all aspects? It seems like for every step forward, there is another step back. I simply can not put my finger on this team. They have zero playing personality. No offensive idenity what so ever.
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I think they have improved dramatically on defense, regressed in special teams, and are about the same on offense. The Vandy game just seems to me like one of those godawful games that happen every now and then to every team. As I watched, I compared it to the last Friday at work before you leave for a vacation. You don’t want to be there and can’t wait to leave, but there’s some crap you have to take care of first. The Vandy game was the crap the Dawgs had to take care of before the bye week. They got it done, but their hearts weren’t in it.
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Best explanation I have read for this game. That sums it up well.
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Would the 2010 UGA team be sitting with a five game winning streak right now? Yes, they are better.
Look, it’s easy to bitch and complain about every single thing that doesn’t go perfectly and it hasn’t exactly been pretty. But I’d sure as hell rather win ugly than lose however we lost last year.
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Exactly.
I’d rather shrug my shoulders trying to figure out a win than have to justify/rationalize a loss.
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I think the D is greatly improved and the offense is just so young at the skill positions they’ve been maddeningly inconsistent. I personally think it’s a matter of time until they click. As for the special teams, we just downright suck right now, but I think that’s just a matter of focus, not ability. Right now, I’d take Blair Walsh to nail a 50 yarder for the win in Jax before I’d take him for a 40 yarder early in the game against Vandy. Clearly he’s having mental issues and I think a pressure situation might be more good than bad for him, as crazy as that sounds. Just kick the ball buddy and quit thinking about it! He’ll be fine. He just needs a swinging bunt single.
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I, for one, enjoy winning. Sometimes it’s just that damn simple.
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You might want to make it clear that these ranks are top five, top three, etc. in the SEC, not in the nation (right?). I had to go back through a few of these posts to figure that out.
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After several years of disappointment these last 5 games should keep everybody particularly fans and athletes alike more interested, and on their toes than being complacent or entitled just like what happened in 2008. Even those TV Sports gurus’ are now very curious if UGA can really make a clean run to Atlanta. It will really be good for both the fans, current athletes, commitments, and near future recruits.
Correct me if I am wrong but the one thing that seem to be different about this 2011 team is they seem to come in games more to really take care of business at hand rather than dancing away their time in the sidelines.
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I find it interesting we are either on the edge or outside of most of those criteria… and yet we are in relatively good shape to make Atlanta.
Isn’t that a great embodiment of the state of the SEC East?
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The SEC East is still the SEC. Unless the SEC has gone to pot, it is still a pretty big deal to win games in the SEC, period..
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One outsider called Georgia the cream of the crap.
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Special teams. Special teams. Special teams.
Kick coverage. Keep your lanes. Get off their blocks. Stay on your feet. But did we seem slow against Vandy’s receiving teams?
How much time will CMR devote to this aspect of the game the next two weeks. Whoever is coaching this needs to do some serious work.
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I understand fully that we don’t have a designated special teams coach. What I have not been able to determine is which coaches or coach has responsibility for special teams situations. Is it, one coach does kickoffs or KO returns; another does punts, another FGs? How does it work at UGA? Anybody know? Or it is a mishmash catchall kind of thing at practice? Somebody must have responsibility for coaching the players in these situations.
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Question: How many SEC Teams have scored at least 20 points in every game they have played this year?
A theory I agree with. Every team has 1 game a season that they play much better than any other game & they have 1 game that they play much worse than any other game.. The better teams manage to win that game. Vandy probably just played that 1 better game & the Dawgs just played that 1 much worse game, & still managed to win. Hopefully the Dawgs 1 much better game is still to be played..
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Senator,
The Vandy game was the glitch we had been nervously waiting for. It happened at the perfect time. I predict the system will become more efficient and reliable because of it.
A glitch, for all the novices, is a short-lived fault in a system. It is often used to describe a transient fault that corrects itself, and is therefore difficult to troubleshoot.
Now, let’s send it down to Turd on the sideline. Whatcha got, Turd?
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