Overall, this game had a familiar flavor, as we’ve seen Georgia struggle in Lexington often. But I’ll take any conference road win gratefully, especially with the way the Dawgs had been struggling coming into this one… not to mention that Kentucky appeared to be riding a little momentum coming in.
As Ted Nugent might say, I’ve got your bullet points right here.
- It’s only fair to start by saying what special teams taketh away, it gaveth back Saturday night. Yes, the McKenzie fumble was brutal, but Blankenship was money and Long’s punting was improved. Nor did Kentucky bust any big returns. I’ll take it. Perhaps the most underrated special teams decision was that of going after the opposing punter harder than I’ve seen all season. (If you’re not going to block to set up returns, why not?)
- One of those small key moments that are easy to overlook: Malkom Parrish’s effective rush on the field goal attempt that led to a holding call pushing UK out of field goal range. Might have made a big difference down the stretch.
- Another one: Kirby’s timeout during Snell’s barrage of runs out of the wildcat formation. Some ass got chewed and the defense stiffened to keep the ‘Cats out of the end zone. Again, that was a big four points that never made it to the scoreboard.
- Weird night from the offensive line, as Eason wasn’t sacked, but Kentucky had seven tackles for loss.
- Deandre Baker is living proof that even when beaten, a defensive back should never give up on a play.
- Speaking of Parrish, at some point quarterbacks are going to realize he’s pretty good covering taller receivers trying to haul in fade passes in the end zone.
- They don’t throw the ball enough to Terry Godwin.
- I felt bad watching those Chubb fumbles, especially the one resulting from his trying too hard to get that extra half-yard. And Michel had a terrific game. But Chubb’s biggest problem is that Georgia hasn’t really had one of those games since North Carolina when it can just use him to bludgeon the other team’s defense into submission.
- Eason’s still got work to do on his mechanics, but one area of his play that’s improved over the course of the season is his play action fake.
- I probably say this every week, but Isaac Nauta is going to be a special player.
- I probably also say this every week as well, but Georgia’s defensive line is going to be hell on wheels in another season or two. Two starting defensive linemen missed much or all of the game, and they still held Kentucky’s running attack in check most of the night. Rochester in particular stepped up and played well.
- When’s the last time before Roquan Smith Georgia had an inside linebacker who wasn’t a liability in pass coverage?
- Overall, the biggest flaw in the defense is a lack of consistency at the worst times. Kentucky’s offense had been on a roll coming into the game and was considerably slowed down, in large part because the Dawgs played shut down ball on third downs. But in the red zone, there simply wasn’t enough resistance, as they allowed three touchdowns and four scores in four opportunities.
- I wonder if they keep fighting letting Eason play out of the shotgun and pistol, or if Chaney’s finally decided to give in a bit.
- Give Kirby Smart some credit. After Jacksonville, it would have been easy for Georgia to fold its cards in the face of adversity, but he kept his team focused and together.
- So, Brent Musburger’s watching other football games and horse racing in the booth during the game. That explains a lot.
It’s a good win. It may even be a confidence booster. Considering this week’s opponent, they’ll need all the confidence they can get.
I thought this was Kirby’s best in-game coaching job of the season.
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Pretty good job, fer sho…especially the last 45 seconds or so. Ball goes through, fat lady sings. Hard to beat that.
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I read this morning that on the last 19 run plays, our backs weren’t hit in the backfield. Whether that’s a function of Chaney figuring something out, or Sony getting a lot of those carries, I don’t know.
But given how it’s gone for the backs most of the season, that’s very encouraging.
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I’d contest it was because we played Wynn at LT, which he is much more suited for (quick feet), and rarely gets just flat out beat, letting a DT or DE into the backfield.
The most interesting thing of this week will be whether we keep that 4th quarter OL in tact.
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Remember CKS’ smartassed answer when a reporter asked him about playing Wynn at LT earlier in the season?
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From what we’ve seen so far from smart, dumbass answer might be more applicable. I can’t remember the last time I was so excited to beat UK on a come from behind last second FG. Good times are here, baby!
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So we have an Isaac and a Jacob. Why didn’t we get an Abraham?
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We would be the chosen ones.
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What we really need is a Moses to take us to the Promised Land.
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Let’s stay outta the desert.
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Seems like we’ve already been wandering the desert these past few years…
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Moses led the people right up to the Promised Land, but they believed the naysayers and were thus sent to wander in the wilderness until a whole generation had passed.
Even Moses died before they finally crossed the Jordan.
Do we have a “Joshua” on a this team? Jericho awaits.
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Kirby’s no Joshua. More likely an Absalom.
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Yikes! That’s pretty hard DD2.
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We had an Abram which was Abraham’s given name.
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Of course, we also have an Isaiah, Elijah, David, Daniel, Jonah and for our New Testament friends, Christian, Matthew, John and Thomas on the roster. For Angels, we have Michael as well!
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Who are the two Corinthians?
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You’ll have to check with Old Miss. Corinth is pretty close to Oxford.
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Only if she’s hot because you know I like them younger, believe me.
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That would be Junior Miss Corinth, Don, if you like ’em young. 😉
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Let’s hope it’s shaping up to be Auburn 2006 all over again
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And touchbacks on our kick offs! Yea, baby!
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The Deandre Baker look-what-I-found pick is a reversal from previous years. We used to be on the short end of plays like that. Without that play we lose in horrible fashion.
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Musberger’s comments about that pick and the “elite” DB that made the play were priceless and class “Brent”. Baker was burned and had a “OMG, look what I found moment”. I don’t know what Musberger saw or who he was describing. Parrish maybe?
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Sorry… Classic “Brent”.
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Elite may be too strong of a word, but I have seen enough out of Baker this year to think he is very good. Every DB gets beat once in a while; the good ones recover, which he did, and good things happen sometimes. It wasn’t completely dumb luck.
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Mus had to have had a few before the game, sounded like a babbling idiot.
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LOL
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I think you meant that Brent had to have had a few before, during, and after the game. I’m pretty sure he killed a fifth of Maker’s Mark at halftime.
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Musberger really doesn’t GAS anymore. I’m pretty sure he’s drunk as well. Palmer is doing great work trying to run the booth, call the game and keep Brent from puking on his shoes.
Good win for the Dawgs. Much better UGA teams than this one have struggled just as hard in Lexington.
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Actually, I’m not big on Palmer; but I really think he has Eason pegged pretty well. I liked his analysis of Eason waiting for receivers to be open before throwing which is what is done in HS. He said it took him one year before he could read the defense and throw the ball before the receiver makes his break. Eason is getting better; but he needs help and it’s on the way. I see the team improving and with a big jump next year as the oline will be bigger and better.
As usual, the Gators play lights out in Jax and then lay and egg.
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That throw on the final drive to Godwin will not get the credit it deserves because it didn’t go down the field…but it’s the kind of throw that only guys with ELITE arm strength can make. I thought Palmer was right on the money pointing that out. Eason is a beast.
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I’m a fan of Jesse. He’s over talkative, but I like hearing him talk about the game. He certainly does his homework usually, and manages to do well enough with Brent in the box with him.
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As much as I don’t want to like Jesse Palmer, Brent Musberger is such a train wreck that I’ve started to sympathize with Palmer. And I also thought he was on target with several viewpoints, he just takes a lot of words to express them.
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Seems like this year’s team is the
Mañana Dawgs.
Mañana
In spanish, mañana means “tomorrow”
Although if you say la mañana, it means “morning”
Another saying is Mañana, mañana which means “later”. This later can mean a week later or two years later. It is very vague
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If they don’t let JE stay in the shotgun 85%+ of the plays against Auburn with 3-5 WRs we will not succeed in getting past 16 points this weekend. Doesn’t matter whether they prefer it or not, better pay attention to how a really bad Vandy offense drove the ball on Auburn last Saturday. Not saying we will succeed, but it gives us a chance and is much more comfortable for Eason. With McKenzie, Godwin, Wims, Ridley, Nauta, and all our backs able to catch some balls in space, we can make Auburn’s defense vulnerable. Get the ball out fast on slants, and swing passes with just an occasional deep throw.
Hate to say it, but Michel needs to become our starting, and featured, RB at this point. It might be the OL and offensive scheme, could be Nick isn’t 100% what he was, but you cannot argue the success Sony is having in gaining yards but also not getting thrown for a loss. Michel is also a bigger receiving threat and that may cause defenses to play looser when he is in. Whatever it is, I would reverse who starts and who spells the other for the remainder of the season. And this said from someone who loves Chubb and all he stands for. I wish him the most success next year whatever his decision, but for right now the better fit for UGA is Sony.
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Hard to argue with that, Mac. I can’t figure out what it is, but the offense just looks better with Michel.
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To me, it looks like Chubb doesn’t trust the line, hence the cut backs and such. Who can blame him?
But yeah, Michel was the more effective back in Lexington.
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I think Sony just gets a quicker start and that get’s him to the hole while it’s still open at least a little bit..but what a luxury to have them both..neither one is less than excellent!
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100% agree about Sony/Nick
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“So, Brent Musburger’s watching other football games and horse racing in the booth during the game.”
He’s also bird dogging the stands for Ashley Judd and quarterbacks’ girlfriends, believe me.
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Shouldn’t you be out campaigning or is it in the bag?
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It’s in the bag. I’m winning so much, I’m almost tired of winning but I do it for the children.
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Pittman may have the big reputation, but Rocker could teach him a lot about coaching linemen. Rocker gets production from starters AND backups. Our DL coach is the assistant who is earning, and should be getting, the big bucks.
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^This.
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We gonna beat the crap out of Auburn… and they got a lot of it in there.. so we need to get after it!!!
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I don’t understand where they hide Godwin most of the game. He seems explosive with great hands.
The OL was much better this week, which helped everyone play better.
It just doesn’t look like the game is slowing down for Eason yet. He’s a half second late on a lot of throws, which really forces him to over compensate with late arrival AND max velocity. Hoping to see that transition for him before the end of the season.
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To me, all season long, the lack of using Godwin has been just as frustrating as the inability to get Chubb 100 yard games every week. Godwin is much better than they seem to give him play time for. Most underutilized player behind Chubb imho.
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Anybody know what the sideline penalty was that gave UK a crucial first down?
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Good question. And did we have a warning? Probably, but don’t recall it.
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I know nothing… but as one of the people I watched the game with observed…It was sideline interference not sideline encroachment meaning encroachment requires a warning and interference does not.. That explanation sounded reasonable at the time but I was drinking….not drunk just drinkin.
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We got a warning just before halftime while SECN was at a commercial.
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I’d say we’d have to go back to Alec Ogletree to find one of those LB’s who could cover. No offense to Amarlo and Ramik but it’s so nice to know people aren’t just going to toss it over the LB’s head while he chases somebody downfield.
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Eason is the second coming of Matt Stafford. He is a fast ball pitcher and does not have a change-up yet. Catching his short throws is like catching a rocket. While it happens it’s just low percentage. The kid is still too geeked up at the start of games and throws high often. He will learn and be great but we really need to stop promising all these spread QB’s that we will make them Pro-style because you really need to red shirt like Aaron if that is going to happen. Either only recruit pro-style HS QB’s (rare as hen’s teeth) or start to run Alabama’s current offense with a running QB that also throws well (cough Fromm cough).
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“He is a fast ball pitcher and does not have a change-up yet.”
Change up? You’re talking change up? He doesn’t even have a cutter yet.
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My observations,
1) IMac is one of the most Jekyll & Hyde football players in college football.
2) I’m thoroughly convinced now that Chubb is not what he used to be.
3) More passes to #5 and #6 seems like a good idea.
4) Rodrigo Blankenship for Heisman!
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Over the past month Michel has clearly established as being our best back. CKS needs to realize that and start him. The only answer to the Roquan Smith question is Ogletree, other than that it’s nobody unless you count Thomas Davis as a LB. Even he was a liability at times.
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We’re gonna win Saturday. You heard it here first. All aboard the process!
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AND Chubb is going to show that he still has it. Eason will open with some good passes and open things up for Sony and Chubb…Run the HUNH and only the refs can stop it.
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This^^.
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8-2 the last ten years against Auburn, and a one game lead in the overall series (lest I sound like an FU fan using selective historical periods to define things, or a weak UGA fan who lets them). We have home field advantage, coming off a positive win in Lexington, and RB Pettaway looks doubtful, so that seems positive. Then you look at the 50+ points they drilled Arky by, the 40-29 win against Ole Miss, a W against LSU and you wonder how cn we match up against that? Truthfully, it doesn’t look positive in the trenches, and their receivers look very talented going against our secondary which has been vulnerable this year. We will need some breaks to win this game, imo.
If we do stay close to them it will be because we mix it up and show a different offensive look than we have all season. To me, a shotgun/pistol spread throwing quick hitters to our smallish speedsters and backs could not only keep them off balance but make them vulnerable to our running game. We cannot get into our running up the middle rut and then throw deep in obvious passing situations. In other words, we have to break tendencies and let our guys go play. The plan is in the Vandy film, they used lesser talented offensive players to move the ball all game against The Barn.
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Apparently, winning just doesn’t fuel the “hooch and rage” crowd (myself included) as much as crappy performances. I noticed the hits are about 1/2 of what the Florida game generated. Here’s to a low hit count after next week’s game as well.
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I’m still jubilant after a come from behind last second win at Kentucky. An obvious indicator that we’re back!
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If no one else mentions it, Senator, I appreciate that you also often think to yourself that Isaac Nauta is going to be a special player. Tight end of the future. I too think it every week. Must be that voice in my head again.
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I agree with you on the D line. Some gooduns coming in next year too. If they can land Solomon from here in Lee Co…….look out!
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It was a solid effort, great to get a win but the vision is the big deal. I don’t have much confidence at all for Auburn, but it seemed to me CKS was a bit more comfortable, and maybe the coin is just starting to drop a bit. My contention is that I’m convinced he’s got the right coin. My one CKS complaint is that I don’t think he should have played Eason this year. This was always going to be a transitional/rebuildling year, and Eason could have imbibed that culture as a red-shirt. True, he would not have gotten the game experience … but I’m just not convinced that baptism of fire was the best way to develop Eason. But CKS and the gang are paid to make these calls. 2019 is the year.
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Any chance Michel comes back next year?
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Mussberger mistook a fumble for a flag being thrown. Come on man.
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