As frustrated as we all were watching Georgia’s offense last season, it’s worth remembering that somehow, some way, Nick Chubb and Sony Michel (who probably count in the ranks of the frustrated) managed respectable production.
… Assuming everybody stays healthy – a risky assumption but one we must make – then we predict Chubb sets the program record for rushing yards by a senior, and reaching nearly 1,600 rushing yards. Michel also breaks the 1,000-yard rushing mark, while reaching nearly 500 receiving yards. Herrien ends up around 500 yards. Does this speak to some great optimism about the offense? Perhaps, but Chubb still managed 1,130 rushing yards and Michel managed 840 in a very down year for the offense and the offensive line. Even a slight improvement can lead to big numbers for the talented duo.
Seth’s conclusion really isn’t that much of a stretch, at all, presuming the injury bug doesn’t jump up and bite them in the arse. (We’re looking at you, Knoxville.) If that pair manages to generate 3,000 yards of offense between them, I’m liking the offense’s chances of making a go of things.
Get The Picture 
Can we push for a change of venue and just play the Vols at the Titans’ place in Nashville?
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^^This.
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Raising my expectations to a repeat season for those two makes me feel sorry for them if expectations that were achieved last season aren’t achieved again this season. I expected this year’s expectations of those two last season. So, do we reset our expectations back to last year or proceed upwards with our expectations of better coaching from those who didn’t coach so well last season?
Seth shows his Dawg loyalty by repolishing those apples to place in front of fans again this year when we already knew how good they were last year. Their inability to reach those plateaus last year continues to have the same group of coaches responsible for their lowered production from last year responsible for their increased production next year. Interesting thesis.
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“Barring injuries”, of course.
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If you are saying that lousy coaching, lousy coaching schemes on offense, bad play-calling and crummy in-game coaches’ decision making screwed up production for Chubb and Michel, I couldn’t agree more. Unfortunately I don’t think Chaney and Kirby have gotten any smarter in the last 6 months. So why would we expect better this season out of them? The players aren’t the problem. The coaches are the problem. Until we fix the coaching problem we can expect more of the same. Sorry if I hurt anyone’s fee-fees by telling the truth.
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Rave on, Mayor. You’re gettin’ in there.
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Nick Chubb and Sony Michel deserve to go out on top together. The cynical think they came back because they didn’t like their draft status. I think they came back because they had unfinished business and have bought in. I hope like crazy for all of us they made the right decision.
#DGDs
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This^^^
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With 1/3 of our recruits resigning this weekend, we should go after Unique Brissett II, WR from GIT. 🙂
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Yeah! What was he listed at? 6’2 and 215? We could use his size as a blocking WR.;)
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I’m less worried about the totals than I am about the YPC and long runs. In 2015, Chubb was on pace for a repeat of the 18 20+ yard runs he had in 2014 before the injury. Last year, he only had 8 runs for over 20. And before we start blaming the knee…Sony only had 5 of those long runs last year (1 in every 30 carries) despite having 15 the year prior (1 in every 14.6 carries).
Whatever the issue last year…blocking, lack of a passing threat down field, play calling, etc…..that’s not going to get fixed just by having two NFL caliber backs taking hand offs. But it sure doesn’t hurt, either. 🙂
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I do agree that the lost production wasn’t the fault of the RBs and that long run stat is interesting as it shows how often the RB were getting touched around the line of scrimmage. As to what the problem was I think many would have arguments and majority of them have a point, blocking, WR threats, a QB new to playing under center etc etc.
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It was a riddle that proved too complicated for Chaney to solve. But then again, I’m not in the camp that thinks that any of the hot shot OCs could have solved it last year. That’s like getting a basket on Chopped with kobe beef, hunt’s ketchup, and bread crust that a child ripped from his PBJ and left in his lunch box all day to get soggy and hot and being asked to make a meal out of it.
Now a lot of that is inherited. So, the big question in 2017 is whether you’ve reduced the variables by getting Eason ready, coaching up those already in Athens and supplementing them with some fresh talent…and frankly, that’s their job.
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Agreed, I want to see improvement. ’16 was a transition year. Blocking schemes changed, true Fr. QB, Grad transfer LT etc etc. I want to see improvement but as I have stated in the past, I am not expecting to win the East this year.
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And just think….if Cheney graduates from coaching school then we could add another 1500 yards to those totals. And a set of kitchen knives.
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I have never witnessed a UGA OC that graduated coaching school.
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well, other than a HC that also called pplays
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When every team you play knows that if you stop the run you win then it becomes real simple. Last year after the UNC game everybody knew that we would be run first and they were not worried about Eason and our WR’s at all. If we can’t pass this year the same thing will happen and all the happy talk about the rushing yards will be a distant memory.
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I think this year’s results will go a long way in deciding what was the true cause of the inefficient offense in 2016.
Was it playcalling?…
Was it the freshman QB in the SEC?…
Did the offensive scheme match the personnel?
Underperforming/undertalented personnel?
Was it a first time head coach?
In the end, I think the 2016 team had too many warts to hide them all and those deficiencies reared their head way too often for the team to be efficient.
I do expect a better offensive performance next season for a few reasons. First, the coaches know the players and their skill sets better. Second, the players understand the scheme and coaching style better. Third, the coaches have a season under their belts.Lastly, the starting QB will have game experience. All of these factors point to a more positive outcome and more success on offense…And when I couple that with a solid returning D, I expect that UGA will win more games than Vegas is predicting.
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Senator-
I think we’d have some fun setting up some lines an getting commenter predictions on over/unders in the Fall for this squad. I’ve got a few suggestions right now….
Georgia wins- Vegas odds
Lorenzo Carter sacks-7 and a hook
Chubb- rush yards – 1200
Chubb-20 yard runs 12.5
Eason Completion %- 60%
McGarity Apologies- 3.5
Times Kirby says ‘expect at Georgia’ in a presser- 8.5
I think a odds list and then comments to be able to lock in picks?
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I’m taking the over on McGarity apologies. 😉
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Seems like adding about 600 yards to last year’s underwhelming 2,000 for the Chubb & Michel combo isn’t such a tall order. Then again, I have to remind myself we’re talking about an offense coached by Chaney.
The new definition of insanity: Hiring SOD assistants Chaney & Pittman and expecting different results.
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