Keeping up with the Sabans

Anthony Dasher has an informative piece up about how Georgia’s approach to recruiting has changed over the past couple of years.

“Aggressive” is the key term.  And that starts with the pace of making offers.

Although the exact totals are not quite clear, as recently as two years ago Georgia would average less than 100 offers per year. Currently, the Bulldogs have over 150 offers out for 2016 and 57 on the table for members of the 2017 class.

According to Bulldog recruiting coordinator Bryan McClendon, the sudden increase in offers not by accident.

“I think it’s just where recruiting has gotten. You have to jump out there and really be a year ahead in the evaluation process than the way things used to be,” McClendon said. “Once you pass guys on their evaluations there’s no reason to hold back, to be honest with you. But in doing that, you have to be a lot more sure on a guy and you’ve got to be more sure on a guy in what you think he can be down the road as far as growth potential and things like that.”

There’s more.  Give it a read.

We’ve all got our problems.

Man, upon hearing the news that Silas Nacita has been declared permanently ineligible by the NCAA for accepting benefits which included housing when he was homeless, I started to feel badly for the kid – until I saw the problem Mike Krzyzewski has to struggle with.

There’s nothing like a little perspective, right?

Name that caption, “the fish I caught was THIS big” edition

I have no idea what’s occupying the space between Jim McElwain’s hands here…

Tuesday Thoughts: Jim McElwain is playing the expectations game — and well. #Gators sbnation.com/e/8130318?utm_… http://t.co/xrTMDk7lou—
Alligator Army (@AlligatorArmy) April 07, 2015

… but that’s what I’ve got you guys for, amirite?

Mike Gundy is a man! A man who’s taken an Econ 101 course.

I don’t know if you caught this quote from Mike Gundy in Carvell’s piece about the Roquan Smith signing, but, well…

“… Our game is changing. I’ve used the term in the last few months that essentially college football at your big schools in the Power Five conferences — it has turned into the NFL. There’s just an unbelievable amount of the money with the television contracts with the conferences. The coaches – all of us are way overpaid. But it’s all set up on market value and supply and demand. And the time that we live in now with the cost of living and the potential gaming rights, it is all changing considerably. And I’m not sure that really anybody really has a grasp with what direction it’s going to go. It’s going to be interesting over the next few years when they try to weed through all these different ways with people signing and not signing, and the different variables that have evolved with the amount of money involved in the game…”

I bet he won’t be on the NCAA’s witness list at the next antitrust trial.

It’s Saturday! Let’s play two.

Hugh Freeze may not be thrilled with playing a spring game, but don’t tell Josh Dawson anything about that.

It’s game week for the Georgia Bulldogs.

Sort of.

Georgia held its 11th spring football practice Tuesday afternoon and will work out again Thursday before Saturday’s G-Day game. The Bulldogs will hold two practices next week to conclude spring drills, but it’s Saturday’s game that has players eager to perform before a Sanford Stadium crowd.

“With this being my last spring, I am really excited,” senior defensive end Josh Dawson said by phone Tuesday night. “Both sides of the ball have shared the same mindset of getting better, and now we can go out there and show it. I’m really looking forward to Saturday.”

I know how you feel, brother.  Can’t wait to see how you and your teammates show out on G-Day.

Always be overdelivering

Mike Ekeler rejects your conventional wisdom, world.

Mike Ekeler, who coaches the position, hasn’t been made available to speak to reporters who cover the team this spring, but said on 680 AM last week: “I think we’ve got a chance to be better. You know the old adage undersell but overdeliver. I don’t believe in that. I think oversell, overdeliver. Here’s the thing, I told our guys, we’re replacing a first-team all-conference guy, a second-team all-conference guy, great production, great players for this defense. They set the standard right there. We’ve got to up it.”

Well, it certainly beats liking a challenge.

Upset ability is upsetting.

Matt Melton looks at coaches who beat the spread and coaches who fail to cover over the last ten seasons and finds Mark Richt wanting.

Mark Richt is perhaps one of the best coaches to have never won a national title, but his last SEC championship was in 2005 and like Stoops and Beamer, his seat is becoming a little warmer.

At least with those betting on Georgia.

Wednesday morning buffet

Definite Georgia flavor to the buffet today…

• Richt talks to PAWWWLLL about his quarterback situation.  Not much light is shed.
• Good news:  Keith Marshall showed up at practice yesterday.
• Bad news:  Wide receiver depth hasn’t shown up.
• It sounds like Lane Kiffin is trying to go where Mike Bobo boldly went before.  Yet it’s Junior who is perceived as the brilliant offensive mind these days.
• Larry Scott ain’t happy with the NCAA’s handling of the McNair investigation.  I’m sure that will make a huge difference.
• Jacob Eason visited Athens yesterday.  He’s already acquiring a taste for grits and Chik-fil-A waffle fries.
• And judging from this photo, he’s every bit the 6′ 5″ advertised.
• He also drew a lot of talent to Athens on his visit.
• This isn’t a college problem, but it’s a good example of how we love sports way too much.
• Georgia’s defense has been sack-happy in the first two scrimmages.
• Carvell asks a bunch of coaches if Roquan Smith’s non-NLI signing could be a trendsetter.