Aside from winning, the other thing I would think recruits want to see out of Georgia this season is how Smart manages the improvement of roster depth, particularly on defense. Take a look at Seth Emerson’s post-spring depth chart analysis for the inside and outside linebackers. There are a lot of young ‘uns jousting for playing time there. Do they get it?
There may be one benefit to a weak schedule in that regard — blowout games that lead to more playing time for the back ups. Of course, that was something we expected in 2015 and 2016, and look where that got us…
Get The Picture 
Blowout games? We’re talkin’ about BLOWOUT games? Is there a division III or intramural squad on the schedule this year, cause I can’t remember what that looks like.
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The only blowout we ever have is inside our pants and it usually keeps us out of the SEC championship.
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Ouch …
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The only blowout game I remember from last year is Ole Miss.
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Who has time for a blowout game when you are establishing an identity and imposing your will?
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Yeah because backing into anything meaningful is always the way to go.
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I would rather back into something meaningful than not have anything to play for by the time the calendar strikes November.
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Sure you would, it’s what we’re used to.
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I don’t care how we get to Atlanta this year. Just get there and see what happens. I would rather not lose 3 games at home, get blown out by a West opponent, be embarrassed in Jacksonville again, and limp into bowl eligibility.
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Well, this year, sure, I’ll be happy to back into Atlanta as it would show improvement from last season. My position is that Kirby wasn’t hired to back into playing for anything meaningful, as the coach he replaced done that often. Starting 2018, he needs to be dominating the east or he and McGarity needs to be shown the door. Aside from Florida, we’re head and shoulders above the rest of the teams in the east when it comes to talent.
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I don’t know how dominating the East is defined. All I can look at is the result. IMHO, if you make it to Atlanta in December, it’s been a darn good regular season regardless of how you got there. It’s like golf in that there are reasons that you don’t show pictures on the scorecard. All that matters is that you’re there and have a chance to play for something meaningful that likely leads to a CFP berth. That likely means you have 2 or fewer losses overall, have beaten most of your key rivals, and played well for the season. As a fan of the program, that’s all I can ask. I can hope we go undefeated in the conference, but I don’t expect that to happen consistently.
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Each team plays 8 conference games. If at the end of the season UGA makes it to Atlanta, it is because they won the East. Not because they backed into it. Maybe if they’re actually 2nd, but the 1st place team is on probation.
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+1 This is always the comments made by losers. Winning comes in a lot of different ways, and looks, for all competitors. But they all beat the runner up’s performances. We would all like to blow the competition away like FSU did a couple of years ago, but that is rarely done. If you bogey the last hole at Augusta to win by a stroke, you still get a jacket that is green and an invite back every year. How little did it make Spurrier look about not losing a game in the East while UGA went to Atlanta, and what did it change?
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“This is always the comments made by losers.”
It takes a loser to know one.
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The “backing into it” or the “so and so won with the previous guy’s players” comment has always been about Dawgrading our performance. It’s historical revisionism at its worst. Unless you go undefeated, you need some help from others. That’s why they play the game.
That’s why I stand by the original comment. I would rather “back” into Atlanta than have November be meaningless.
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If you beat the teams you’re supposed to beat, then you’re not sitting around hoping for other teams to lose to play for anything meaningful. I guess that’s too much for a loser to ask for.
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I totally agree – beat the teams you’re supposed to beat. Have we done that the last few years? No. Who has other than Alabama, Clemson and Ohio State? Nobody.
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That damn Saban. He backed into the 2014 and 2015 SEC W championships (had to pray Ole Miss lost.) He backed into the 2011 BCS title game. We don’t want his type.
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Hey, you can’t win em all. My point is this, how often has UGA had to back into playing for anything meaningful? You named 1 instance in Bama’s case. Saban has been there for 10 years. What is this ” we don’t want his type?”I get so tired of hearing about how teams like Bama and OSU all win because they cheat and we don’t with no proof to back it up that claim. Coaches aren’t paid millions to be “nice guys”, they’re paid to compete for championships.
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Excuse me, I meant 3 occasions. By the way, Saban also didn’t many of those embarrassing losses that seems to plague us.
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*have
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Yeah. I would go counting those chickens yet.
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UGA in a blow-out game? Surely you jest?
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I can dream, can’t I?
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I sense a theme developing…
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My personal theory about the slow start to 2018 recruiting is the time to sell potential and a new way of doing things has passed, and now teams competing with UGA for recruits can tell recruits they need to “show me.”
How does Eason and the offense look? Is UGA playing a fun brand of ball? Because Ohio State, Clemson, Alabama… they’re playing fun ball and winning. If I were recruiting against UGA I’d hang 2016s on-field results around their neck. Make the kid force Georgia to show them on the field.
So unless UGA looks better this year on the field (particularly on offense) I would suspect it’ll be tough on the trail.
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Agree. And the largest factor (not the only factor..but the largest) is the improvement of game coaching by this staff. Having the right schemes, calling the right play for the situation, use of skilled players in the schemes, and HAVING the team play at a high level! Georgia had the talent edge quite a bit last year and it counted for very little. That is a coaching deficiency..not a talent deficiency. Step up your game, coaches.
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Agree. Just the hard truth. The coaching wasn’t great last year nor was the talent at key spots (OL, QB chief among them). I think the QB situation will be greatly improved, but I worry about the OL and the coaching aspects. Those are two massive question marks.
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Pretty childish response, not surprised it would come from you. Can’t help that just sorry for your problem of being a 3rd grade mind. Carry on, of you don’t get it, go back to a lower level. Let me guess, you are still befuddled by the complexity of that new fangled idea called the “electoral college” (again) aren’t you? Life is moving too fast for the kid. Love the “takes one to know one” line though, haven’t heard though since 1960, 5th grade since I have actually heard that. You are pathetic, assuming you are beyond middle school, other wise carry on lad.
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Sorry, meant for dawgman, 3d grade.
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You don’t know me. I post my opinions here just like you do. You don’t like them, then don’t read them. Keep your useless politics to yourself champ.
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Useless politics? You don’t know me either, but I will call poorly thought out responses out when I see them. And you certainly don’t know my history of losing/winning…and there is a reason you don’t. Your comment was silly, and childish, and deserved to be ridiculed. My opinion, but it is more than that when someone actually uses “takes one to know one” on an adult forum.
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You hurl personal insults at me, but I’m the one that’s childish!? Listen man, I love this blog the Senator has here and I don’t want to get banned from it, so from now on, I won’t respond to any of your post. Now please do me a favor and don’t respond to mine.
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Anybody seen any estimates on how many scholarships we are likely to have to give in the next class? Using Clemson as an example, you’d think they’d have made all sorts of noise recruiting after winning the title, but they had a younger roster similar to ours, limited schollys to give, and I think they only signed 14 players in this class.
If we are facing a similar numbers crunch, that could partially explain things too. There may be hesitation to commit on both sides. Just speculation tho, I have no idea what our counts look like.
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Good point. We have somewhere between 15 and 20 seniors. But it’s a bit tough to figure because I’m not sure who’s on scholly and who isn’t, like Christian Payne for example. Assuming a couple early departures and the usual attrition, I’d expect a recruiting class of 20 to 24 in ’18.
But it’s waaay to early for folks to be concerned about recruiting. Recruiting has always been Kirby’s strong suit, and he appears to be great at closing. Until proven otherwise I’ll give Kirby the benefit of the doubt on recruiting.
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I would think some want to see Kirby’s roster management practices, too. Of course, we probably need to win a little more before we can manage to have 5 stars knocking down our door 2-3 deep at every position.
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We all know what recruits REALLY want to see: a new locker room/lounge area. From what I hear, they want it fully funded by new money, too — dipping into the reserve fund would cause a raft of decommitments.
😐
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