What am I supposed to do about a Florida coach who says things like this?
It’s as if he’s the bizarro Urban Meyer.
Daily Archives: October 28, 2015
U got the look.
I didn’t think it was possible for anyone with a paying media gig to pull this off, but Matt Hayes has managed to make Mark Bradley seem rational about Mark Richt’s career path.
Georgia coach Mark Richt was asked Tuesday about his name popping up on candidates for the Miami job. And unlike the last time the job came open in 2010 and the former Miami QB shot down any notion of returning to his alma mater, this response had an eerie sense of, well, wanting.
“I don’t think much of it really,” Richt said. “I love my alma mater, the U. No doubt about it, but there’s been nobody calling or writing or texting or anything like that. So I’m sure they’ll find a great coach.”
A couple of things: When Richt was at Miami, it wasn’t the “U” — it was a program that was on the heels of nearly being shut down before Howard Schnellenberger took over. That statement from Richt is a clear message that he’s not only interested in Miami, but he’s interested in other jobs.
Jayzus. Time to start watching that flight tracking service for news, I guess.
Filed under Media Punditry/Foibles
Oh so close
If you think Mark Richt’s Georgia career is staring into the abyss, one more loss away from falling in, it’s not. For every fan who’s threatened to cancel his season tickets (threatened as opposed to actually doing the dirty deed, you know), there are plenty of others ready to write their checks. For every “one of the biggest Dawg fans around… alright, maybe I don’t go to every game…”, there are plenty of others who do and plan on continuing to do so.
In other words, the money is still rolling in. And we all know what that means on the Georgia Way.
You’ll know Mark Richt is in real trouble when the cash starts drying up. Or when recruits start turning their backs on the program. Neither has happened. In fact, with regard to the latter, news popped up that a second potential member of the much ballyhooed class being assembled for the next signing day, four-star defensive lineman Julian Rochester, has quietly signed his financial aid forms with Georgia, as had Jacob Eason.
No, that doesn’t mean his February fax is in Athens yet, but that’s not a sign he’s bailing out, either. Quite the contrary: “Rochester said a major coaching shakeup would be the only way he would not wind up at UGA.”
I know, I know. That message board chatter is so convincing. Who are you gonna believe, Julian Rochester, or that guy who claims his sister knows the cousin of one of Georgia’s big contributors?
Filed under Georgia Football
Why the Cocktail Party could be a competitive game
Listen, I know what happened last year. You know what happened last year. Georgia knows what happened last year. Florida knows what happened last year.
“I’m sure they’ll look at the film from a year ago and see what happened,” Richt said. “There was enough success to take a look. Same quarterback. The game plan worked pretty good.”
Florida ran the ball on 60 of 66 offensive plays.
It wasn’t too complicated, Gators receiver Brandon Powell told reporters Monday.
“Last year we ran like two plays the whole game and they worked,” he said. “Two power plays and they worked the whole game.”
The obvious retort to which is that was last year.
Again, I don’t know what will be in the heads of those wearing red this Saturday, but statistically speaking there’s a pretty solid case that can be made for Georgia showing up.
Take a look at yards per play against SEC teams, for starters. Georgia, with Lambert, Schottenheimer and whomever else you want to point accusatory fingers at, is second in the conference at 6.05 ypp. The resurgent Gator offense is twelfth. Florida is averaging under five yards per snap.
Ah, you say, but the defense… that’s where they have them.
Not so fast, bruh. Defensive yards per play in SEC games? Georgia ranks ahead of Florida there, too, although it’s much closer.
So where to find the reason Florida seems to have it more together? Welp, take a look at turnover margin in conference games. The Gators top the SEC, at +8. By comparison, Georgia is a mere +1. The difference is that Florida’s offense has done a better job of protecting the ball than has Georgia’s.
The other area that really favors Florida is red zone touchdown conversions. The Gators punch it in at better than a 70% clip when they get inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. Georgia converts at barely more than half that rate.
Can Georgia do a decent job of keeping Florida between the twenties? Can the Dawgs protect the ball? If so, there’s no reason to think they can’t make a game of it.
Filed under Gators, Georgia Football, Stats Geek!
“I guess I’m just a glutton for punishment.”
That’s Gary Patterson’s semi-jocular explanation for why he still acts as his defensive coordinator.
Humor aside, it’s interesting to see how his focus has changed.
Patterson admitted that in today’s quick-strike college game, he’s had to alter his definition of efficient defense. A wise defensive coach, he explained, doesn’t just work against the scoreboard, but also the clock.
“If we get up, and they’re moving the football,” Patterson said, “that’s what I try to do on defense. Make them take nine to 12 plays and 6-8 minutes off the clock.
“You look at the Kansas State game last year. They scored the first time in the second half, but it took 8-9 minutes, and by then the third quarter it was over.
“You can slow-death people either way.”
Bend, but not break, baby. It’s what’s for defense.
Filed under Strategery And Mechanics
Shit I didn’t need to see this morning.
I hate factoids like this.
No Georgia quarterback since Greg Talley in 1989 has managed to defeat rival Florida in his first start. David Greene, Matthew Stafford and Aaron Murray each topped the Gators within the last dozen years — Murray three times, in fact — but none succeeded on his inaugural attempt.
Then, again, it’s not as if I would have picked Lambert to set an NCAA completion record this season. Maybe lightning is due to strike twice.
Filed under Georgia Football
Get The Picture 