The question isn’t whether Georgia’s found a quarterback.

It’s whether Georgia’s found an offensive identity.

After watching a true freshman quarterback throw the ball 55 times in his first SEC road game, I have to think Kirby Smart is migrating from his stated preference to play power football to a more practical whatever it takes to win approach.  And that’s good.

The simple reality is that Georgia doesn’t have the offensive line right now to play the kind of ball Smart prefers.  There’s only so many times you can run your head into that brick wall before you crack your skull.

I recognize that Eason’s a baby, an immensely talented one, but a baby nonetheless.  He had his true freshman moments last night, true, but he also made some plays that make you realize greater days are coming.

I don’t envy Jim Chaney’s job right now.  He’s got a lot of balls to keep in the air.  The good thing is that if he and Smart are being forced into a more diverse offensive approach than they initially preferred, it gives him the chance to be more protective with the offensive line, as well as the chance to force defenses to start backing players out of the box to respect the pass, something that will no doubt be received most gratefully by Mr. Chubb.

We’ll see where this is going.

Here’s a stat we never saw coming.

Everyone who had Isaiah McKenzie in the star of the Georgia offense pool, raise your hand.

305

Receiving yards this year for Isaiah McKenzie, putting him on pace for the most single-season receiving yards in school history. (He would have 1,220 in a 12-game season, and Terrence Edwards with 1,004 is the only other player ever to surpass 1,000 yards.)

Your morning rhetorical question

So, it’s come to this.

Would an SEC team take a chance on Bobby Petrino again? #CFBSunday pic.twitter.com/78U4xRQfZq

— ESPNU (@ESPNU) September 18, 2016

Is the Pope Catholic?

The more interesting debate is which schools will be ready to talk to him after the season ends… and how big a check they’ll be ready to write.

Home away from home

Last night reminded me again of one of the reasons I’m so enamored with college football.  Despite the greed, the stupidity and the arrogance that routinely drive me up the wall, there’s also that wonderful sense of community we fans share with each other.  Just because the suits running the game treat us like wallets doesn’t mean we have to.

I’m in Austin, Texas.  Not Athens, Georgia, Atlanta, Georgia or even Jacksonville, Florida, places where I can count of a bevy of like-minded Dawgs.  Yet the scene when I walked into The Tavern in downtown Austin managed to feel oh so familiar.

The Tavern in Austin — Dawg Central tonight for me. pic.twitter.com/gBMv4pmctx

— Senator Blutarsky (@MummePoll) September 17, 2016

An entire floor given over to Georgia fans, who had a blast with each other all night.  Okay, sure, there were a few anxious moments, but the last two minutes of the game reminded me of the pleasures of the shared experience.

It will always be great to be a Georgia Bulldog.  Keep rocking, Austin Dawgs.

When five means zero

Yeah, you already know Georgia came up with five turnovers last night (the Dawgs are now tied for first in the conference in turnover margin) without scoring a single point off any of them, but as Seth Emerson notes, it’s actually worse than that.

Briscoe’s interception, in the third quarter, didn’t lead to any points. In fact none of the five turnovers did: Georgia’s offense has yet to score any points this season after a turnover.

Basically, Lorenzo Carter’s been a more efficient scorer after a turnover than Georgia’s offense.

Don’t get me wrong — every time you force the other guy to turn the ball over is one more time he can’t score.  And they’ve needed every one of those takeaways.  But a few touchdowns or field goals here and there would have made some of the early going a little less nerve wracking.  It’s also the kind of tendency that makes you worry about the time coming when it bites this team in the butt.