“And I just want to see a program that’s moving forward in the right direction.”

Why did Greg McGarity elect to bring Mark Fox back for another season?

Is it the track record?

Since arriving at Georgia from Nevada in 2009, Fox has compiled a 145-118 record. In eight seasons, Fox’s teams have reached the NCAA Tournament twice. He has yet to lead Georgia to an NCAA Tournament win, however, with his teams going to the NIT over the past two seasons.

Okay, maybe not.  Well, then, how about Fox’ ability to articulate a plan to his boss for where the program is going from here?

McGarity said he hasn’t spoken to Fox – or any Georgia coach, for that matter – about whether he needs to hit certain postseason goals in the upcoming season.

Those, McGarity said, are implied.

“We know what’s expected at the University of Georgia,” McGarity said. “You don’t have to go out there and define that. That would be an insult to our coaches. They know what they need to do.

Well, if not that, then… oh, hell, what was I thinking?

After a 19-15 season, which Fox publicly said was disappointing, Georgia’s basketball program still hosted the most donors it ever had before at its year-end team banquet.

Moving forward, the Georgia Way.

“Watermelon Cuttin’” time

Good piece from Chip Towers about how yesterday’s scrimmage marks the beginning of the preseason transition from roster evaluation to game prep for the opener.

… Nevertheless, when Georgia breaks out the watermelon, it means the hard and uncomfortable work of toughening up a team and determining who is going to contribute the coming season is pretty much done. So now the Bulldogs must make the shift from getting themselves ready to getting ready for somebody else.

It’s not a transition coach Kirby Smart is eager to make. The watermelons came out at the end of Georgia’s second full-scale scrimmage of the preseason Saturday at Sanford Stadium. It was the last truly competitive scrimmage of the year, from the standpoint of determining who is going to play and how much.

Some of those position battles will continue on into the season. But, for the most part, you’ve got to start getting 44 ready to face another team and decide what others are going to help you out on special teams.

The Bulldogs will conduct another scrimmage next Saturday, but that essentially will be a dress rehearsal for the season opener against Appalachian State, then just a week away. But coach Kirby Smart is not in a hurry to turn attention away from his team and onto an opponent.

“We feel like by the end of the week next week we’ll be able to start working on it,” Smart said Saturday of the game plan for Appalachian State. “I don’t believe in starting work on an opponent you’re going to play immediately because kids can get burned out on that. I’ve had a lot of history as an assistant coach where you do want more than a week, but you don’t want two weeks. So we’ll do some next week. We’ll start working on it.”

In other words, we’re getting close.

A little peek at yesterday’s scrimmage

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I’m going to assume Wims didn’t showboat after that impressive catch… although I’m not sure I would have blamed him if he had.

“The goal for us is to get the best five in the best five spots.”

If the season starts off with the offensive line looking like senior Isaiah Wynn at left tackle, redshirt sophomore Pat Allen at left guard, junior Lamont Gaillard at center, redshirt freshman Solomon Kindley at right guard and freshman Andrew Thomas at right tackle, how likely do you think it is that it ends up that way by season’s end?

“But Rod’s kicking off real well.”

Why do I have this mental image of Ken Blankenship’s finger hovering over Kirby Smart’s number in his speed dial?

“It’s not doomsday.”

Okay, it’s not like you can call the season off because Malkom Parrish is hurt, but when you have this to say about someone who got a lot of first-team work at yesterday’s practice…

“He’s gotten a lot of better,” Smart said. “He started the spring in what I call a rat trap, all over the place. He runs anywhere and does anything. You never knew what he was going to do.”

Smart said LeCounte probably understands “50-60 percent” of what he needs to do on defense. Smart hopes LeCounte can improve that to 90-100 percent so that he won’t have to constantly rely on Sanders to know what he needs to do on every play.

“When he has to make all the decisions, he struggles sometimes,” Smart said. “He’s growing up. He practices hard, and he’s physical. I’m glad he was here in the spring so he could be where he is now.”

… things aren’t exactly optimal.

All I can say is that I sincerely hope the front seven is as dominant as it can be, to take whatever heat off the secondary it can until Parrish’s return.  Well, that, and I’m glad Grantham isn’t the defensive coordinator.  I don’t think I could take another rerun of the green, lost defense of 2013.

Dawg class

I saw this exchange last night.  If you haven’t, you should, too.

The season will start in a couple of weeks. I'm excited about our team. But I would also like to wish the Dawgs the very best! U Family!

— Mark Richt (@MarkRicht) August 20, 2017

Thanks so much!! Best wishes from one DGD to Another👊 https://t.co/hQ6oNMICjf

— Coach Kirby Smart (@KirbySmartUGA) August 20, 2017

Nice.

Best of all, McGarity didn’t feel the need to add his two cents and spoil the moment.