One more tidbit from that Q&A with the Vandy beat writer:
Looking specifically at the matchups with Georgia, are there any ones in particular you think the Commodores feel good about and can exploit? For instance, pretty much everybody in the league has a better kicking game than the Bulldogs.
Sparks: “Vandy has been a disaster in some areas of special teams lately. It’s had two punts blocked, three other punt snaps mishandled, one punt snap fumbled, two punt returns muffed in last week’s game, etc.
Hoo, boy. This game’s got some serious wince potential.
Get The Picture 
We need to give Blankenship some real looks at field goals. We can’t keep passing up 35 yard FGs. Blankenship has the ability, he just needs to work through his issues. I thought it was a mistake last Sunday to take a delay of game penalty rather than have Blankenship try a 40 yard FG. We’re going to need him at some point in the season.
As for punting, why not put Ramsey back there? Although, I don’t think Long is as terrible as everyone says.
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Agree, like we are putting our heads in the sand. Blankenship has a good leg, and probably isn’t any worse at FGs than Walsh was when he was having his head issues. If we are that negative on him kicking reasonable length FGs, why aren’t we having a student try out like FU did? At least we would be doing something proactive and not just stewing in the stench. Hate to have the next time he is allowed to kick a 30 yarder be in Jax.
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Long had a decent game against South Carolina, but he had lots of help from Matthew ever other quarter. I think you gotta trust the coaching staff about whether Rodrigo can make the field goal, they get to see him work more.
And please note, there is a significant learning curve for kickers going from high school to college. (Hint…no tee in college.)
The sad question to me is: how many points have we given up because we don’t seem to be able to kick field goals longer than 15 yards? (Please, for your own mental health, don’t think about Tennessee.)
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Really..who knows…Think about it. Long FGs aren’t a sure thing. If you make two out of three, that’s six points. If you go for it on fouth down, I’ll bet you get more than six points out of those three drives..if only one is successful, you get 7.
Punting for field position can be a very good game. Boom said, just before the second half started, that Georgia was playing a field position game. He was correct..and it worked.
I think the best job CMR ever did on offense was when he lost confidence in his kicker and started playing for a possible7 instead of being conservative and trying for a chancey 3.
But it would be great to be able to make that long one when time has taken away all other hope….Like the time “From Munson’s Top Ten Calls”
#7. Worse than bonkers: Sept. 22, 1984, Georgia 26, Clemson 23: Georgia trails No. 2 Clemson 20-6 early before rallying to take a 23-20 lead. It’s 23-all when Georgia’s final drive stalls at the Clemson 44-yard line. Coach Vince Dooley sends on place-kicker Kevin Butler to attempt a 60-yard field goal in the closing seconds — a distance that Munson initially describes as “a hundred-thousand miles.” As Butler’s winning kick clears the crossbar, Munson says, “Oh my God! Oh my God! The stadium is worse than bonkers! Eleven seconds! I can’t believe what he did! This is ungodly!”
I can still hear him.
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Given our (small sample size) FG results in the first 3 games, we should never attempt a FG.
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Dooley left 11 seconds on the clock and still won? How’d that happen?
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ACC refs.
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I was at that game. Good times.
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My first game as a student. Coming off UGA’s previous four years, that Saturday night I believed I would be in New Orleans on Jan. 1. Oh the optimism of youth.
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So parents should cover the eyes of their small children when either team is kicking.
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I already don’t allow my small children to see the TV for fear they may accidentally see Trump or Hillary on the screen.
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Sorry, this was meant as a reply to Faultoring above. Ha.
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Let’s cue the song up on kicking downs. Is there a rap version?
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“We have met the enemy.. and he is us.”
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Last year’s Vanderbilt-Georgia game featured three missed field goals, a fumbled kickoff inside the 10, and a surrendered punt return touchdown.
Yakety sax, indeed.
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Nope. Our special teams are ranked 126, Vandy’s is 88th. They are a lot better.
http://www.espn.com/college-football/team/fpi?id=238&year=2016
But our offense and defense is ranked a little better than theirs on fpi.
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If you bother to read his quote carefully, you might notice a key qualifier: “lately”.
Nuance is hard, I know.
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I agree it will be another game with serious wince potential.
Vanderbilt is No1 ranked pass defense against conference opponents.
http://www.cfbstats.com/2016/leader/911/team/defense/split07/category02/sort01.html
And Vandy’s rush defense in conference games has been a lot better than South Carolina’s, so Eason will have to throw more, and Chubb and Michel will struggle for every yard.
http://www.cfbstats.com/2016/leader/911/team/defense/split07/category01/sort01.html
Vandy also very good defense on 3rd downs in conference matchups.
Could be a perfect storm bad, bad day for Eason.
Saddle up.
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No game is safe at present for Georgia, particularly with Kirby making game day decisions.
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Amen! to the first part of your sentence.
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If we do not beat this bunch by 28 I will be greatly surprised at greatly displeased with some part of this current staff!
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not going to win by 28.
Look at the margin in the wins:
NC- won by 9 points
nichols won by 2 points
mizzou won by 1 point
sc wpn by 14
The team has struggled to score in the 1st 3 quarters really.
1st qrtr 71st in scoring
2nd qrtr 71st
3rd qrtr 95th
4th qrtr 31st in scoring (av 9 points a game)
This team doesn’t have that killer instinct when they get a lead.
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