Some of you raised questions yesterday about the position allocation in this year’s class, particularly about the number of kids in the secondary. I get your point, but we’re not Kirby Smart, who had a strong idea from the get-go about what he wanted to land. Take a look at these measurements:
Only two of UGA’s 26 additions in the currently class are under six-feet tall. When it comes to the offensive line pledges, the average over 6-foot-5, 334 pounds each. The Bulldogs also signed four cornerbacks who are 6-feet or taller after starting a pair of players in Malkom Parrish and Deandre Baker in 2016 who measure in at 5-foot-9 and 5-foot-11 respectively.
There’s this, too.
At 6-6, 304, Demery is the smallest lineman the Bulldogs picked up this recruiting cycle. (I feel like I need to write that twice). At 6-6, 304, Demery is the smallest lineman the Bulldogs picked up this recruiting cycle – the smallest. He’s the average size for what UGA used on the offensive line in 2016, and he’s the smallest in this class. [Emphasis added.]
Kirby knew he wanted size and size is what he got. And when I say from the get-go, I mean get-go.
The Bulldogs were eighth in last year’s recruiting rankings, the highest finish ever for a newly hired Southeastern Conference coach, and Smart said this class started to form when last year’s recruits were faxing their letters of intent.
“I don’t think people know how deep we were into this class last year at this time,” he said. “I remember being at the national championship game (as Alabama’s defensive coordinator), and during the time I was able to recruit, I was on the phone with a lot of these guys.”
Get The Picture 
Recruiting for the new school while working a Bama game? So Laner!
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I was going to jump on that thought too, Jason, Notable is that Nick didn’t run him off the porch like he did Junior. Either that says something about the level of esteem each had, or maybe Kirby is slier than the Laner.
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I choose to think that Kirby engaged in a bit of subterfuge and Nick didn’t realize how much Kirby was recruiting for 2017 while still on staff in Tuscaloosa. Bama only signed 1 guy from GA in this class (when the entire state is loaded with talent) which I think is a by product of Kirby really focusing on the 2017 while still finishing up duties at Bama and UGA 16 class.
Not that FAU would steal a bunch of recruits from Bama but I wonder if Nick started to get a similar feeling about Lane dividing duties and told him that it was best that they part ways.
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I’d bet Smart and Saban had a deal worked out so they both knew what was acceptable. Smart stuck to the deal. Lane? Well you know Lane…
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This may be a better subject for a different post, but what are our weaknesses going forward? The only question mark next year is the offensive line, but I guess you could say that about UGA in perpetuity, it seems. In 2018, that weakness goes away completely, finally. Depth is a great thing, and I think we are building it.
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I think another area that needs to be developed is WRs being able to get open, whether that’s fighting off of press coverage or better routes/route-running. We did get a nice influx of talent there, but it’s young…similar to the OL, I think we have the bodies, but it will take some serious development to get both position groups up to speed early enough in the season. The size at receiver we added is huge, and I think Wims also continues to build on his late season progression next year. I also hope they give Mecole a serious look on offense to see if he can pair with Godwin to fill the iMac role.
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Unfortunately, development of talent is the area where this staff has yet to show itself. And I don’t want to here he need to get “his guys” nonsense. If you can coach you can coach period. It matters not who initially recruited the kid.
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Talent wins. And you will see a big difference in the 2nd year. Yes you can coach and coach period……nobody can coach an offense with no elite WRs, NO OL and a true freshmen QB. And if you don’t see a difference, then jobs will be lost. But this roster will be significantly better and yes then develop them.
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According to those same recruiting gurus that rate this class #3, UGA already HAS talent with recruiting classes ranked #8, #5, and #8 in the 3 classes prior this one. Just saying….
2017 is effectively the “no more excuses” class.
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We need WRs that can block too. And take a page out of the Falcons playbook (or two or three…) and call some plays with some misdirecton and getting Sony and Chubb into space.
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Good point on WR improvement, we haven’t seen red jerseys running open in a few years now. Some of that is size and strength, but getting jammed at the line is also technique weakness. Some help with play calling, motion, and sets would help too. IMac seemed to the only receiver we had that could get separation consistently in 2016. We will have some size and speed improvement this fall but coaching the WRs up is at the top of my list as an area of improvement we have to see.
I think we will be better on defense, and along the OL next year. Give me some improvement at WR and QB and we should have a much better season in 2017.
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“…what are our weaknesses going forward?”
Coaching: Offense and special teams.
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I would also say that classes like this don’t just happen. The amount of work and effort and organization that went into this would probably blow us away. Especially since we have done nothing on the field to justify such optimism, commitment, and energy.
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Kirby seems wholeheartedly committed to the “formula”. Hope it works!
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This group weighs more than the starting lines for the 4 teams in NFL championships. We were in this position a few years back also. Hopefully better results with this bunch. Kirby says BS to that ole size of the dog in the fight.
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But you have to consider the situation. When we were in that position a few years ago, the S&C program at UGA was still kinda crap and the O-Line blocking scheme was different. I think Pittman knows a thing or two about what he wants and who he wants. Clearly this year he had to deal with what Richt left for him, but I would not worry about any guys he is bringing in just yet.
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Pittman and Kirby have recruited 9 OLs in their 2 recruiting classes. I for one am expecting to start seeing results, at least by mid season and particularly against teams we should steamroll.
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football fans love an OL.
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WR is the one position that can play early. If the staff truly recruited great WR’s that are more than just speed guys then we should see immediate help in that area. They will need to get used to catching the fast ball pitcher we have at QB.
The OL has to be like the Rockettes, they have to be able to not only know what they are supposed to do but what each of their brothers are suppose to do. One missed block and the results stick out like a dancer kicking at the wrong time. That was a problem last year. Four guys might get theirs right but more times than not one of them would screw up. It was interesting that in the bowl game Chaney finally let the OL do what the OL was good at doing, the outside runs.
Last year was a throw away year. Kirby was interested in changing the mindset of the team, and if we happened to win fine. By the time we got to the bowl game he was aware that his losses to Vandy and Tech had cost him some of his limited capital with both the fans and super boosters. He therefore let the offense play the game they needed to play to win not just to exert their will. This year I hope he let’s his offensive coaches coach to win and save the damn philosophy lessons for the professors.
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I love that people think that Kirby could have won those games if he wanted too, but just choose not to win those games so he could create a teachable moment.
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So you think he was trying his best and just was not capable of doing it. Well if that’s what floats your boat but it doesn’t bode well for the future.
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