… that ESPN would have Georgia listed in the preseason as having the third-best special teams in the conference, would you be giddy about the Dawgs’ chances this year, or shaking your head over how bad special teams play in the SEC is going to be?
Bonus points for the McKenzie reference, by the way.
Get The Picture 
LOL, so in other words, ESPN figures that special teams throughout the SEC are going to look like episodes of the Keystone Cops?
I kid you not, right before I saw this post, I was texting with my brother-in-law (he’s an FSU fan) about our game against Clemson. I had just gotten done saying that our O is better, their D is better, I think special teams could very well decide that game. If we’re at least solid, I like our chances – we don’t need huge plays, just need to avoid colossal mistakes. But until we see some tangible improvements on the field, it sure is worrisome.
LikeLike
I didn’t read the article but in general, judging special teams play by the quality of your kicker, punter and return men is just idiotic and nearsighted. Whenever we’re in punt or punt return, I have a feeling something bad is going to happen. And even when something catastrophic doesn’t happen, we still never flip the field with a solid return and teams regularly pick up yardage in return against us. At least it seems that way. Yes, making field goals is important, but it’s a small part of the overall special teams play.
LikeLike
Agreed.
Not showing up in this analysis are the bad snaps, fumbled punts, fumbled snaps, blocked kicks, out-of-bound kickoffs, short directional kickoffs, special teams’ penalties, illegal jumping and stomping, and the other undisciplined things Georgia special teams football is famous for.
LikeLike
Please, I had erased that stupid stomping penalty from my brain. And now it is back. Thanks.
Dumbest call ever, even dumber than the targeting in the Vandy Game.
LikeLike
This^^^
LikeLike
1,000,000 % re “whenever we’re in punt or punt return, I have a feeling something bad is going to happen.” When we were in 4th down mode last yr, I would pray to just go for it no matter how deep the hole. When the other team was in 4th down position, I didn’t know what to pray for–if they went for it, we might well give up a bomb and if they punted, we might well give it right back. The more distance we get from the 2013 season, the more impressed I am that we had 8 wins.
I believe we’ll have a top 5 SEC defense about as much as I believe we’ll have a top 10 secondary. If either actually happens, we’ll all have to increase our Sunday tithings.
LikeLike
More evidence that ESPN doesn’t have a clue.
LikeLike
I’d think ESPN has lost their ever lovin.. mind
LikeLike
So let’s quote this article:
“Truth be told, Georgia was frequently terrible on special teams last season. … Coach Mark Richt changed the way the coaching staff will address special teams during the offseason, and perhaps that will make a difference.”
Your ringing endorsement, ladies & gentlemen.
LikeLike
seems like everything is shaping up to be a really down year in the SEC.
hopefully UGA can be the best of the down SEC and just go from there.
LikeLike
Hey, it’s worked before. 😉
LikeLike
Problem with that this year Senator, is if UGA goes undefeated and wins the SEC they will not get an invite to the 4 team playoff, especially if Bama and Auburn lose a couple. Conference will be perceived to be weak; thus an UGA invite is unwarranted. Herbstreit will see to that. Now Let Bama or Auburn or Florida lose a couple and win the conference and they will get in because of their “tough” schedule and playing in the SEC. Mark my words; it’s worked before.
LikeLike
I will bet you any amount of money you’d like that you’re wrong about that. There is no way Mike Slive lets that happen.
Also, you overstate Herbie’s influence – if he were as big a deal as you say, Florida would never have won the title in ’06.
LikeLike
Hey, I’m more willing than most to believe that UGA isn’t treated as well by the media as they should be at times, but I have to agree with you on this one, Senator. There’s no way in Hell that an undefeated SEC champion would be left out of a four team playoff…even if that team is UGA. If 66 wants to bet more money than you want to match, I’ll take a piece of that action. 😉
LikeLike
Yeah, because at that point, it’s not about Georgia. It’s about the SEC.
And I think I’d mortgage the house to make this bet. 😉
LikeLike
I’ll smoke what David Ching has…
LikeLike
Logan Gray approves of this message.
LikeLike
Wouldn’t change a thing. I stopped listening to opinions of all types of media decades ago, after I found my own experience and judgment was better. I listen to what coaches say, but they don’t say a whole lot, and you have to know how to discern their public comment.
Right now, I’m giddy about the prospect of being better on ST’s, even though we can’t be worse. Like you guys pointed out so well already, there’s a lot more to it than just specialists. I think most of us right now will take just being solid on ST’s. Just don’t hurt us. I’ll take that.
But it doesn’t mean they won’t be good. In the early Richt years we had some of the best ST’s around. It was a strength. If what some of us think is happening is actually happening, and we revert back toward the kind of ball we played then, if we head in that direction, then we can good on ST’s.
Even this year.
~~~
LikeLike
I didn’t read the article carefully and will admit that I’m not familiar with the special teams units of many of the teams in the conference, but this list seems to put too much emphasis on kickers and return guys. South Carolina’s ranking surprised me as much as Georgia’s ranking surprised you guys. Our special teams were garbage last year, but it seems like we’re getting points for having a good FG kicker in Fry and a promising return guy in Cooper. Everything else about our special teams is insanely awful. Spurrier is notorious for not giving a damn about special teams.
I don’t have time to find the article right now, but a few months back an advanced stats analyst put out an article that indicated that on combined offense and defense, Carolina had the most produce team in the country. The deal breaker? Special teams were awful. With better ST, Carolina beats Tennessee and gets a crack at Auburn for the spot against FSU.
LikeLike
Good post.
~~~
LikeLike
there was nothing average about our punters last year.
LikeLike