Don’t know if it will turn out to be an outlier or a presaging of what’s to come, but, fresh from the Sporting News, here’s a way-too-early top 25 projection for the 2017 season:
10. Georgia
Here’s the team that will be talked about than anybody else in the offseason. Nick Chubb and Sony Michel stayed in school, and Jacob Eason should make the jump as a sophomore. At least that’s what we’re counting on. Kirby Smart should be excited about Year 2. Bulldogs fans will be.
That’s good for second in the conference, behind only (who else?) Alabama.
That throwaway year narrative may get a little harder to sell. Just sayin’.
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Doesnt UGA just about basically have to be a top 15 to top 10 team next pre-season?
Big time returning starters, 2nd year bump, huge recruiting class, down east, and favorable schedule.
UGA should be a competitive team. They should win 10 games. They should probably play in the SECC game.
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Not if our albatross of an OC can’t develop Eason, or ever score more than 40 points in a game. I really hope Chubb/Michel coming back isn’t squandered by Cheney’s unoriginality or Smart’s stubbornness in ‘creating an identity’ versus playing with what you have.
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No more throwaways. Only throwaway should be Kirby if we aren’t in the SECCG. Nuff said!!
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Help me, Senator, as my memory is shot. Where did the “throwaway season” phrase originate? Did Kirby Smart actually use the phrase.
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No…he did not.
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he just threw it away. no need to say it.
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I think it was Jeff Dantzler that started that.
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Not publicly, anyway.
I first heard it here.
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I dont think that those 2 were helping Smart as much as they thought they were.
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Bring it…
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I can’t argue with that assessment.
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Along as Chaney is around the jury is out.
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I hope he’s feeling the exact same pressure Richt did in his 2nd season and performs accordingly … win the SEC.
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Coach Smart has 4 years Torie this ship.. Just sayin’
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Wait just a minute. Doesn’t Kirby still have some of those shitty player that Richt left behind?
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I certainly expected to see us be the favorite in the East, but #10 in the nation? I must have missed the announcement about the upgrade/change in our OC position! I can see us maybe 14-18 just based on returning talent and schedule, but going from the mid-60s to #10 seems a stretch It could set expectations way too high, although if we keep the same good roll on injuries going, and a few breaks go our way, we could get there by season’s end. Doubt many other early polls give us that much respect.
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We’ve got 10 starters returning on D and most of their backups. On O we’ve got a deep backfield, 3 or 4 TEs, all the WRs except Imac (I don’t count Davis), and 3 interior starters on the OL. Our punter(s) and kicker (maybe) returns. Plus an awesome recruiting class, and weak schedule. And fu loses some key players and a very good DC. ut loses their O backfield, top WR and best defensive players. 2017 should be a good year for UGA.
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Your assessment is agreed. Fourth or none at all and screw those between us and third.
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And that statement is SUPPOSED to taste like pressure.
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I’m counting on a regression to the mean on both injuries ( pray it’s not Chubb)and turn over margin therefore with Jabba the Punt at OC and a more talented but very young OL….. at this point I’ll bet heavy against a top ten finish. .
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There is no doubt that “snakebit” resides in our history, but the “Good Ole Boys” denied that throughout Richt’s tenure.
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Oh that is not good. No chance to beat a team ranked better than us, a schedule full of “nobody with a pulse”. Let the Dawgrading begin.
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