Anthony Dasher does a Q&A with Phil Steele, who is more benign about the Georgia quarterback situation than most of us are.
UGASports.com: Just right off the bat, does the addition of Greyson Lambert in any way affect the way you feel about Georgia’s offense?
Steele: “No, when I looked at Georgia I saw Brice Ramsey and Faton Bauta and thought both where capable of enough quarterbacks to handle the job. Lambert did a decent job at Virginia, brings some experience. He is a big guy with a strong arm but I’m comfortable whether it’s Ramsey, Bauta or Lambert. They are all pretty much the same and whoever wins the job I think will be pretty close as productive as (Hutson) Mason was last year.”
UGASports.com: When you have quarterback uncertainty like at Georgia, how difficult does that make your job when you’re breaking down a team and ultimately predicting how their season is going to go?
Steele: “In this case, the quarterbacks are all pretty similar in my mind. I know that Bauta is a little more mobile but all are highly-touted guys, very highly touted guys out of high school, they all have good size, they all have the arm strength, they have decent mobility so that didn’t make it that tough at all. I think sometimes if you had a quarterback where No. 1, was a true pocket passer and another one who was a pure option-running quarterback competing for the job it would be a little more difficult but this one wasn’t too difficult. I like the supporting cast the new quarterback will have.”
Alrighty then. I guess I can get back to fretting about whether this year’s defense can stop the run.
Get The Picture 
My only disagreement with Steele’s assessment is that none of them have had to make plays under the lights in a pressure situation. Yes, Ramsey had to play meaningful minutes in Charlotte, but the reality is that his job was primarily to hand the ball to #27. We have not had big time success with 1st year starters at QB (DJ played enough where he was experienced IMO), and for that reason alone, I’m bearish on our chances to get to Atlanta.
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Barring Santayana famous quote, I think that the constant allusion to QB history has little to do with present or future performance of same. New year, new QB, new results.
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I hope one of the QBs takes control and plays well. I also think it’s one of the predictors of future performance, so you do have to take it into account. We haven’t won the East with a 1st year starter other than DJ. It’s a fact and it’s relevant. I hope the trend breaks …
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I re-watched part of the Fla game last night…the run D is a worthwhile fret, and we dismiss too lightly the loss of Herrera and Wilson who would at least eventually tackle people. I have changed my mind a bit about that game – if ever there was a total team loss, that was it. ST on both sides of the ball, an O-line that occasionally mailed it in, Mason simply would not take a shot downfield and not leading receivers, Floyd looked frankly hapless, and CMR calling for a FG on 4th and short near their 25 yd line with Chubb on his roster.
I liked Mason for being a DGD and was rooting for him to succeed in a big way, but I am less worried about a drop off after rewatching a few games again.
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Would not change a word of Steele’s response to how I feel about our QB situation and my level of concern, he nails it. It isn’t quite a “system thangy” at UGA but it is close when we have the OL/RB situation as our lead Dawg on offense.
Come on over to the “let’s worry about stopping the power run” camp Senator because that is where we will get tested by the teams that stand between us and our goals. Not saying we cannot be proficient enough to win those games but it seems to be our biggest weakness, just like it was last season. It was the common denominator in all of 2014 losses and we lost some experience from that team. I am sure CJP is looking for some creative ways to get help to the middle of this team’s defense.
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Mac, the only place I disagree with you is whether one of the QBs can make all the checks and adjustments necessary to make our offense go even in the running game. I’m going to worry about QB and center until I’m proven wrong.
I’m very worried about our rush defense between the tackles. Until Leonard Floyd gets serious about setting the edge consistently, I see him as a pass rush specialist. We got pushed around from tackle to tackle (including ILBs) in all of our losses. That can’t happen again.
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Agree. If the center and QB don’t make the right calls we will be sending Chubb right into the teeth of 290 lb linemen and 260 lb SEC linebackers. We have a great OL and the best RB in the country but also need smart QB play. We won’t know what we have until the real pressure situations occur. I’m still worried.
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Not saying I wouldn’t want proven experience versus a “newbie”, just that our situation doesn’t make that as critical. There are other programs where that isn’t true, as Steele pointed out, UGA isn’t in that position. We have only had one seriously “off year” offensively under Richt, although we have had a few where the offense wasn’t capable of carrying, or overcoming, a weak defense. I don’t see 2015 as that kind of offense, or defense. We will be good, to very good on both sides of the ball this season, imo.
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I agree with you that we’re going to be very good on both sides of the ball, but in a pro-style offense, everything revolves around the QB making good decisions, both pre-snap and post-snap. Until I see whichever QB making those decisions, I’m going to be sitting on pins and needles. I do like the idea that we’re going to be easing that QB into the schedule rather than having a big OOC game like Clemson or a tough SEC opponent like USCe right out of the chute.
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Fair points, and the last one is the most critical, that is a nice start and a chance to see multiple QBs under the bright lights. I would like it narrowed down to at least two before the opener though, preferable a leader and a close contender. Getting familiar with the timing to receivers, and vice versa, is the most important reason for this. We will be good in September, need to be better than that for October.
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“I guess I can get back to fretting about whether this year’s defense can stop the run.”
Thank you Jesus.
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Still no worry about the kicking game? (sighs, sends a package of Aleve to Athens.)
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Damn it, Jim, I can only worry about one thing at a time. 🙂
//said in his best Bones McCoy voice
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But, but, but….
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My second concern is the punting, Scorp. I am hoping Barber gets some help or that Blankenship is the answer and gets his shot.
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We should go for it on every fourth down. No need to punt
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Exactly, Go For It! Worth the risk with the talent we have and no one expects that ballsy move on 4th down. 💪🏼
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I read that his back is better now. Hopefully he is working on exercises to make it stay that way.
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Worrying is a good defense for fans who are getting ready for one or 2 disappointing games this coming season.
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Some would be very disappointed if they didn’t have something to complain about….they need that for their emotional protection. 🙂
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Correction—-instead of “good defense”, should be good emotional protection.
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How many of us have to worry, and how much, for it to make a difference on the field for the Dawgs? We’ve gotta be getting close, but it takes a lot of worrying to replace Munson and VD. I’m doing my part.
Ulitmately, though, “Que Sera, Sera”.
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Never knew anxiety would treat VD. I thought that’s what penicillin was for.
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I think Steele nails it. The trio were somewhat highly recruited, they’ve learned from Richt, Bobo, Murray and CBS. Whoever wins the job is most likely going to be good, if not AM good and with all the talent around him, the O is going to be fine.
I’m most concerned about the WRs, but if one of MSM and JSW are healthy, and we can get one big performer out of the Freshman, Mackenzie, Michel, et al they’re going to be fine because we’re good at TE.
I’m confident Coach Sale will have a center ready to go, especially by game #4.
I am not getting my expectations up, because expectations are a dangerous thing. But is there a single SEC team with less questions than UGA? You c0uld argue Miss St because of Dak, but I would simply counter…
Nick Chubb
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Exactly. South Carolina and Florida are train wrecks at QB. Bama will have a new, unproven one. Not convinced yet about Johnson on the Plains. Mauk is a mess at Mizzou. Do we really feel Dobbs at UT is better than our guys? They all have HUGE question marks…and they don’t have Nick Chubb.
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You tapped one of the guys who’s gonna surprise a lot of people and the one reason I’ll be leary of Auburn..Jeremy Johnson..great high school career at a top school and class opponents..good start in college and really comfortable at the position. Add in their coaching staff and we’ve got a definite worry there.
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Excellent comment A10, right on the money. I have heard from some of the experts that MSU lost to much to allow Prescott to be a difference maker this year. West is very closely bunched so they will get tested every week, not sure they have enough depth.
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