I’m sorry to pick on poor ol’ Dean Legge, who’s just trying to earn a living, but really, I don’t need an insider’s account to know that Georgia’s biggest concern going into the season is this:
In talking with a slew of folks over the weekend, the No. 1 problem heading into the 2016 season is depth. More than anything else, quarterback play included, depth is the top concern of those most in the know.
“If you look at all of the starters you can really be a pretty good team,” said one insider. “Honestly, and I might be biased, but I think No. 16 is about right to start the season. But I’m telling you right now, we are on the precipice of being in serious danger of losing a few games if someone gets hurt. The offensive line isn’t super deep; obviously you don’t yet know your starting quarterback; the running backs – don’t get me started. That could be a real mess. We just are not deep enough anywhere. Maybe at linebacker.”
That’s just the sentiments of one insider. In my calls around to folks this weekend to check on their thoughts on the Saturday practice, that was repeatedly stated – UGA’s depth is a real concern.
This is not exactly a dark secret to anyone who can read a depth chart or recall the story of Georgia’s recent recruiting classes. Although I think I’ll go out on a limb here and say there isn’t a depth problem at tight end. Consider that insight on the house.
Get The Picture 
Bingo. We’re not Alabama. But they’re not on the schedule. Neither is LSU. Or Ohio St. Depth is a funny thing. Not many teams can sustain major injuries. What happens to Clemson if Watson or Gallman gets hurt?
Are we deeper than South Carolina, Florida, Auburn, UNC and Tech? Yes? Are we as deep as Ole Miss and UT? Probably.
But, we’re deeper in many ways than last year’s team, which went 10-3 with a catastrophic injury to our best player. We traded Bauta for Eason. We added Holyfield and Herrien to the RB rotation, and Holyfield will surely be #3 in the rotation very soon.
We have the deepest TE corp in the nation. We lost Mitchell, but added some good WRs. We lost some talent in Floyd and Jenkins, but are pretty deep at that position. We have virtually the entire secondary back and added Hardman, a future star. We lost Ganus but added some freshmen and get Reggie Carter back, who did not play last year.
We’re better off than we were in 2015, and the schedule is easier, with UT, Auburn and Tech and home and no Bama. Color me optimistic.
I’m feeling more confident every day, namely because I’m not real sold on the 12 teams on our schedule. But, I’m not sold on Bama’s QB and RB situation, either. They’ve never had to break in both, and they don’t have that stud RB in the stable that was #2 the year before. They have not recruited at QB as good as we have. I think LSU wins the west because of fournette.
Ask yourself this question? If we really are better off than last year because of those additions above, and we play with more of an edge because of our coach, what does that all mean? We don’t know if Kirby will brain fart in a game as HC. It’s an unknown at this point, but I just don’t think he will. I think he’s more prepared than any assistant to ever take a HC job. It’ll be fun to see how it plays out, but I’m just feeling better every day.
Now, I’m worried to death about FGs. Just go for it, Kirby, and save me the indigestion.
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Keep the kool-aid coming!
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That’s kool-aid with made with some mighty fine H2O……And I agree with sUGAR and add this…we could possibly pick up the graduate from ‘Bama that Saban is trying to smother.
And I still take the tack that Georgia is in pretty good shape at QB…with any improvement at all, Lambert should be a steady journeyman, and it’s as if there’s no option if he falters or is injured. Ramsey can come in and run things (but unless he improves, he won’t be allowed to throw it much…his arm is fine but his decision making favors pics..which can and will be corrected, hope)…and then there’s Eason…I don’t need to expound on his potential. Is there another team in the SECE this blessed at QB? If NC is healthy, the passing game will be too.
I think we are all still tasting the disgust from the lack of O production last year..but I contend that Georgia would have won the East had it not been for two late first half fourth down conversions by Tennessee. Color Bootch lucky as hell on those…because the probably saved his job..I don’t remember if they were “third and Grantham” situations but they were apparently “fourth and Pruitt”…Those two plays…if either of them had gone the Dawgs way, would have changed everything.
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“What happens to Clemson if Watson or Gallman gets hurt?”
If Watson gets hurt, Clemson becomes a 7 or 8 win ACC also ran team.
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This is the kind of vague off the record consensus view that all three of the major online sites peddle from time to time as insight.
I am not picking on Dean, but it does not take an insiders conversation to know our DL has very few proven bodies. It is also clear at every position save WR and TEs, we have about 1.5x the number of starters in capable players (i.e. NOT a full two deep of quality!)
Ultimately, this is where Kirby earns his money by maximizing the impact of the areas that could be a positive, paying attention to the details that “add up”, and then elevating some of the less experienced players in a results driven culture.
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The very best way to improve the defenses “depth” is to have Nick Chubb and Co. control the clock….let those d-dudes rest a lot!
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IF CMR had recruited some linemen lately and not gone 5-10 vs UF, he would still be our coach. OF course we are off in a few areas. It is the reason we made a change.
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we will basically never know, but I think you are dead wrong. CMR could have been 8-7 against UF and he was still getting canned this year.
CMR was fired when SOS got canned and USC went for Smart.
Everything about it says that nothing else mattered except getting Smart and not letting him go to USC.
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Legge always has the hot takes and the Muschamp haircut.
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Pretty much every college team not named Alabama has depth issues, at least at some positions. The fact that players graduate, fail out, leave early and/or suffer serious injuries in the college game ensures that depth will almost always be an issue. Talking about depth is like the genius tv announcers saying things like; “this game could easily be decided by turnovers” or “so and so is going to have to stop so and so from scoring if they want to win this game”.
I generally like Legge, but this is a weak effort on his part.
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We still have several questions but I am moving in the direction of higher confidence. Sure we have se areas where we are thin, who doesn’t (yes, even them)? But we have some athletes who are capable, and some new faces showing up ready to play. I still think the 9-3/8-4is a decent number but leaning to the upside these days based on comments I have heard, or read.
I should note, the betting site I use has UGA at 8 /12 wins over under, but it cost you more to take the over indicating more money is on the upside. Interestingly, Auburn has an over under of seven wins….and it cost you more to bet the under indicating more money think they cannot make 7 Ws this regular season. I know I jumped that Clemson/Auburn game with the line at Clemson -7 because I expect it to move higher, maybe much higher as the game approaches. I think Clemson beats them closer to 3 TDs than one. This is the earliest pre-season bet I have ever made on a football game. Usually wait until after camps are over and it is game week.
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