I’ve mentioned that two things I’ll be checking at this year’s G-Day game are the defense’s comfort level with Pruitt’s new scheme and the backup quarterback battle.
Assuming you’re not obsessed with QBR, what will you be interested in seeing at G-Day?
Get The Picture 
Theus at LT. Houston at RT. Hoping both exceed expectations.
Also curious to see if the new scheme has safeties playing closer to the ball to help our ILBs on crossing routes. I love Herrera but he’s slow, especially after playing every snap. So I guess I’m also curious if anyone else will sub out for Herrera and Ramik during the first quarter while the ones are in.
LikeLike
New coaches want them playing lighter. Herrera was a 242 last season. Maybe that is too much weight for him. He was one of the leading tacklers last season. Pity it was 5 and 6 yards past the line of scrimmage.
LikeLike
I think his weight was fine, but I don’t mind him lightening up. He played almost every snap all year. It was insane. He was so gassed by 4th quarter there was no way for him to cover a crossing route. Actually, I’d say that was my biggest pet peave with Grantham was how he just left them in at ILB all game with no break.
LikeLike
So little of what we see in a spring game corresponds to anything in the following season, so for the most part I’ve gotten to where I just kinda enjoy it for what it is. I won’t be able to go this year due to a family conflict, but I’ll definitely be watching on tv. For me though, G-Day is usually just an excuse to meet up with friends, watch a glorified scrimmage of my favorite team, hope like heck that nobody gets hurt, then go have some drinks downtown.
If I had to pick a couple of points of interest, I’d say I’m curious how Terry looks at safety, and how Turman looks at RB. But even if they look like world beaters, I’ll take them with the same grain of salt that has to be applied to all spring game standouts.
As far as scheme and all that goes, again I just don’t think you can take a whole lot from spring games, when both sides of the ball stay pretty vanilla for the most part. I’m certain everyone is going to comment how much simpler the schemes looked on defense even though if you went back and compared to it to prior spring games, again it’s all pretty vanilla, nothing complicated is ever run there (for example, our D looked like it might be a cause for optimism in last year’s spring game).
I usually don’t start drinking the Kool-Aid until early August. But admittedly, once I start drinking it, I tend to chug it. 🙂
LikeLike
It’s not so much the scheme itself I’m interested in as it is the comfort level of the players on defense in it.
LikeLike
Yeah, I get that, I’m just saying that I bet if you went back and watched last spring’s game, everyone appeared to be pretty comfortable, even the early enrollees. And we see where that got us. 🙂
Wilkerson got picked on a bit but everyone was raving about Matthews and JHC. Swann looked solid. We knew our secondary was thin but the guys who were out there seemed to know their assignments with no blown coverages and so forth. In other words, they appeared to be much more comfortable with the scheme than it turns out they really were.
Not trying to be a Debbie Downer, just trying to protect myself from the inevitable disappointment that’s built in to being a UGA fan. As I’ve stated before, I’m on the Pruitt bandwagon, right now I’m just the guy sitting kinda quietly towards the back. 🙂
LikeLike
Agreed, it is more of a social event. I wouldn’t want the new defense to be shown in great detail for Clemson and others to watch.
I would like to see signs that UGA has competition for starting QB.
LikeLike
Barring injury, forget it…the QB battle that is.
That said, they have done a pretty good job of picking the best one lately, IMHO.
LikeLike
Checklist:
Tailgate.
Game. Check out defensive coverage, tackling, OL play, depth on offense.
Terrapin Carnival.
Dinner.
Someone else driving home.
LikeLike
Cali N Titos and cheerleaders.
LikeLike
The third round of the Master’s?
LikeLike
That will be my focus that day. I will watch the replay on TV at some point. I really wish CMR would redo this game format and make this an offense versus defense game with 1s against 1s and 2s against 2s. Also wish we would not schedule this opposite The Masters almost every year. There are lots of Spring Saturdays and these are the two biggest sporting events in Georgia, why create the conflict?
LikeLike
+1, especially on the structure of the game.
~~~
LikeLike
I’ll be so glad to be in Athens as I couldn’t go last year and had to watch it from a bar in Chattanooga. Looking forward to seeing what kind of confidence the players have in the new D and QB play as well. Hopefully it’ll go something like this…
Mayflower. Tailgate. Game. Terrapin. Downtown and Hilltop Sunday brunch on the way back to N. Ga.
LikeLike
I don’t plan on watching any of it. I’m doing chores early and then watching the Masters later on.
I’d probably go if it wasn’t Masters weekend.
LikeLike
I’m always curious about how big and fast the players look at G-Day. I want them to look huge from all the winter lifting, then I want them to lean out a little in the summer as they get their wind up.
LikeLike
The O line, LBs who never got on the field last year, Turman, and the DBs.
Popeyes pregame meal and Cali n Titos to finish. Cold beer. Watch rerun of 2013 LSU game while enjoying a nice bourbon at home later that night anticipating my first ever Masters the next day.
LikeLike
Will not watch. Watching practice is boring to this Dawg.
LikeLike
Better tackling.
LikeLike
I’m hoping that Pruitt doesn’t have a GA holding a towel while plays are called.
LikeLike
I’ll be looking for how sound the fundamentals are. I’d like to see better tackling and angles of pursuit.
LikeLike
One of my things, as well. Defensive fundamentals, which haven’t been solid for what, 8 years, anyway? Angles, tackling, getting off blocks, arriving at the right place on time, tackling in space .. all those things.
~~~
LikeLike
Cleavage.
LikeLike
And boots with short skirts.
LikeLike
Yep. I’m very curious if last fall’s trend of coeds in cowboy boots continues this spring. Also it better warm up in the next few weeks.
LikeLike
What Bobo calls on 3rd & long.
LikeLike
Of course the defense, in general. We won’t see anything much more than base and nickel, but that’s what I want to get a good look at. Along with some idea of who fits where.
This is the one area where we can really learn something. As somebody said, you can’t really take away much from a Spring Game. But because the defense and its coaches are brand new, there’s a lot to learn, basic though it may be.
Also interested to get a good look at Terry. Last year, it was the same with Matthews, but I came away totally unimpressed. So even though it was just a Spring Game, it wasn’t surprising when Matthews didn’t impress in the fall. FWIW, I don’t expect that to be the case with Terry. If he’s the real deal, it’ll be noticeable, even if the ball doesn’t come his way.
It’ll be interesting to see Turman run, and get a look at Green playing defense. And see how close Gurley may be to getting back. It’s a shame we only saw him 100% for one play last year, and not even all of that one.
That’s about it, in terms of what can be learned.
I won’t be there, due to the new blaring music, primarily, and it’s also Masters Saturday. But you can’t really tell that much at the game anyway. I’ll miss the pre-game and post-game, especially if it’s a pretty day, which it usually is.
So I’ll go over the film, which you have to do anyway to really learn anything.
~~~
LikeLike
“So I’ll go over the film, which you have to do anyway to really learn anything.”
I just have to ask. You study film much in another life? NO SNARK. Curious. Where have you coached? Cause you sound like a coach. A coach with a music training in the classics is impressive.
just sayin
LikeLike
Homer, I’ve never been a coach.
But I have been intellectually involved in the game since pre-school. I was fascinated with it. As a player through HS (I opted for music instead of walking on at Georgia), I had outstanding ball skills, instinct, just a knack for the game. I played flag football at a high level through my mid-40’s. So I know what good football is.
That’s about all, really. And from the time I entered college, I’ve followed Georgia closely, and have talked to a lot of people. Been doing it a very long time, so I should be pretty good at it. There’d be something wrong otherwise.
Thanks, though.
~~~
LikeLike
You welcome . Enjoy your posts. Starting your football acumen in preschool is a rare find. I’m impressed. Not many sports fans create a background at such a young age or develop a knowledge base without at least playing college ball. Leach is atypical among NCAA Division I head football coaches, as he did not play football at the college level. He is one of only four such coaches, with Paul Johnson at Georgia Tech, David Cutcliffe at Duke, and George O’Leary at UCF. Butch Jones didn’t play Division I ball but he was a band member and makes better bank than Richt.
😉
LikeLike
Interesting. And all but Johnson are pretty good coaches.
~~~
LikeLike
Maybe. As much as I am not a Tech fan. Paul Johnson is no wanna be. Johnson’s Georgia Southern Eagles won consecutive NCAA Division I-AA Football Championships in 1999 and 2000. The only other coach to do that at Georgia Southern was Erk “GATA” Russel. Johnson is one of only four coaches to record 50 wins in his first four seasons as head coach at the Division I level. Yikes. Johnson was not musically inclined… but did sing in his HS chorus.
LikeLike
No, he isn’t. He could be a very good coach at the right school, IMO. But the combination of his style and the institution he’s at right now just plain sucks. Which is good.
I’ve come to hate that triple-option with all that cut-blocking. Or at least hate playing it. But then I look at the record, and feel much better. I still hate it, but maybe it’s not so bad that Tech runs it after all.
~~~
LikeLike
The PJ game I wanna see this season is Georgia Southern and Tech. I think Tech goes down by 10. Sept. 13, 2014. My b-in-law is flying in from Auburn California. He is a Tech and Wisconsin grad/PhD . His better half is an Eagle. We win the East and GSU beats Tech. Goodness. I’ve volunteered to pick them up and return them to the airport. I doubt I get the chance to pilot the return trip. lol.
LikeLike
The only thing I have been intellectually involved with is trying to get laid, which coincidentally involves things like “[a]ngles, tackling, getting off blocks, arriving at the right place on time, tackling in space .. all those things.~~~” Sometimes film study of shorts like “Cleavage,” “And Boots with Short Skirts,” “A Coach with a Music Training,” (Italian/English subtitles) and “What Bobo Calls on 3rd and Long,” (and it’s not the triple option) helped depending on the proclivities of the hosta… date but never in my wildest dreams did I think “Gonorrhea in Sixty Seconds” would not work
LikeLike
LOL. So I take it you are only emotionally involved with the Dogs. Which is cool. Though I’d guess that would make most of the last 8 years somewhat more painful. But maybe we can win something soon, and you’ll be able to enjoy it all the more.
~~~
LikeLike
NOW! I just have to ask was that nice.?..Really? is this how you wanna be remembered? All that creative gene—- all up in our business? Seriously?Listen up DIF? if we are gonna hang in public ya gotta learn to control it. Ama right? Of course I am. Lesson I… slow your roll. It’s all good. Some folks ain’t never been in the arena. K? This is what leads to Hijo de Sancho posts and Pedantic Conjones rhethoric. You just can’t be calling Dog fans out. Even the Armchair QBs get immunity. Sometimes. We good?;-) I got ‘ur back.
😉
LikeLike
How many times DJ McFrugal plays some crap I don’t want to hear.
LikeLike
I’ve been parking at sigma chi since 1975. We lost our house and parking to the new business school. So my most pressing issue for g-day is trying out our new parking spots at Baldwin. Kind of selfish I guess.
LikeLike
I parked there from 1967 to maybe the early 1990’s, at which point I didn’t recognize any old faces. Weird to drive by and see no Sigma Chi house. Or Phi-Delt house either, for that matter.
~~~
LikeLike
I’ll be looking for Bauta to beat Mason out, and Richt to name Mason starter, 2010 all over again.
Bauta is better, he was recruited by Saban, decent judge of talent
Will be watching the Qb stats, since it determines the winner 85% of the time.
LikeLike
Senator, don’t won’t to pay attention to njo stats that correlate with winning the game 85% like Qbr? Us football experts know what wins games.
What an odd statement, guess the Senator will be looking for dumb stuff like Jersey colors?<{_
LikeLike
Senator, how you plan to measure “defense comfort level” anyhow? Really man? I assume that was a joke, and not a serious comment.
And you’ll be looking for the backup stats at Qb, sure, that has a high correlation to winning games?>:
LikeLike
Shit. Don’t tell me you’re one of those idiots who think G-Day stats hold profound meaning for the season.
LikeLike
I kind of think we takin a step back at pass defense.
We averaged a #25 ranking 2011 & 2011 in interceptions at UGA
Ptuiit at Bama averaged bgout a #27 those 2 seasons.
So he’s a little worse than Lakatos was there.
And Bama ranked lower than UGA did in 2011 & 2012 in takewaways, so don’t look for the defense to force any turnovers on GDay.
Then again, Mason’s a turnover machine, already thrown 3 pciks in his first 2 games. Might light the secondary up.
LikeLike