Today, in credit where credit is due

It’s about damned time.

The final calculations for the NACDA Learfield Cup standings have not been done pending the completion of the baseball season. But the Bulldogs currently rank No. 9 in those quantitative standings and cannot fall back. In fact, Georgia is expected to move up based on point-distribution projections from baseball. The Bulldogs, who lost in the NCAA Regional finals, should move ahead of No. 8 Florida State, which went two-and-out in its regional.

The College World Series gets underway this weekend with three SEC participants: Arkansas, Florida and Mississippi State. Only the Gators, at No. 4, are ranked ahead of Georgia and neither the Razorbacks (24) or the Maroon Dogs (41) are in position to run down the Bulldogs.

“It’s an indicator of the success that our coaches and student-athletes enjoyed this year,” Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity said.

True dat.  And congratulations to all, even those in Butts-Mehre, who may have finally figured out how to stay out of the way and let good coaches do their thing.  We can only hope it’s a start of things to come.

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Pressurized

Just a reminder…

Best passer rating when under pressure, returning P5 QBs:
D. Lock, 154.6
J. Fromm, 141.4
W. Grier, 122.9
R. Finley, 118.9
K. Tate, 113.9

— A special place in Hale (@DavidHaleESPN) June 14, 2018

Of course, with that offensive line, it’s a moot point, amirite?

Seriously, it’s something to think about in response to those who say that Fields has a mobility advantage in avoiding pressure.  Maybe that’s true, but it’s what happens when the quarterback gets rid of the ball that matters.  (Or tucks and runs, which is where I’d expect Fields to have a real advantage early on.)

Path to the playoff

I am hard-pressed to come up with anyone in the media who’s a more unabashed supporter of Georgia football than CFN’s Pete Fiutak.  His latest post on the subject explores the five things he believes the program has to do to get back to the CFP.

• 5. Decide On A Quarterback
• 4. Don’t Lose At South Carolina
• 3. Be Angry And Focused
• 2. Look The Part
• 1. Duh … Win The SEC Championship

#5 is the most overrated part of that list, but more interesting to me is the most underrated item, #2.  That is a spot on argument for the need to convince the selection committee that while Georgia’s schedule this season might be a little on the soft side, the Dawgs handled it like champs.  I’d argue that was the case in 2017, but going forward you don’t get the benefit of the doubt for one good season.  You get that over time with consistency.  (Kirby should know that better than most, given his time in Tuscaloosa.)

The biggest stretch in his piece — something I’m not sure even the most rabid of us here would argue — is his conclusion:

But even if there happen to be two losses in the regular season, as long as Georgia wins the SEC title, it should find its way in …

Because it’s Georgia.

Alrighty then.  Can’t wait to read the Stewart Mandel piece in the wake of that happening.

Today, in coaches say the darnedest things

Geez, Jimbo.

Fisher: I'm asking [recruits] to make the same decision that I made. I wasn't planning on coming to Texas A&M. But I got a call and started researching and was [sold]. We talk a lot to recruits about that.

— TexAgs (@TexAgs) June 11, 2018

You made a decision to jump where the money was best.  Is there something you’re not saying out loud here?

The forgotten ones

Quick — besides Isaiah Wilson, can you name Georgia’s other seven redshirts from the 2017 class?

SEC win totals

Here are the latest Vegas SEC 2018 win totals, courtesy of South Point Casino:

• Alabama: 11 (Over EVEN, Under -120)
• Georgia: 10.5 (Over -115, Under -105)
• Auburn: 9 (Over -110, Under -110)
• Mississippi State: 8.5 (Over -110, Under -110)
• Florida: 7.5 (Over -120, Under EVEN)
• Missouri: 7.5 (Over -110, Under -110)
• LSU: 7 (Over -110, Under -110)
• South Carolina: 7 (Over -120, Under EVEN)
• Texas A&M: 7 (Over EVEN, Under -120)
• Arkansas: 6 (Over EVEN, Under -120)
• Ole Miss: 6 (Over -110, Under -110)
• Kentucky: 5.5 (Over -110, Under -110)
• Tennessee: 5.5 (Over -110, Under -110)
• Vanderbilt: 4 (Over -110, Under -110)

And a one-sentence reaction to each…

• Alabama:  Whom are they losing to?
• Georgia:  Which team gives the Dawgs their second loss?
• Auburn:  Looks about right.
• Mississippi State:  I lean towards the under, just slightly.
• Florida:  If Mullen has a functional quarterback, over, barely.
• Missouri:  They won seven last year, so at first glance this doesn’t seem like a stretch, but Derek Dooley…
• LSU:  The Tigers won nine in 2017, so you’d have to think a two-game fallback would be death for Coach O, and looking at the schedule, I don’t know that I’d feel so good if I were him.
• South Carolina:  It’s really weird how much more pessimistic Vegas is about SC’s chances than the pundits and public are.
• TAMU:  Eight wins is not a reach, but anything more than that is.
• Arkansas:  I get that the schedule is soft, but there’s no team in the conference with a bigger mismatch between personnel and scheme than the Hogs, so take the under.
• Ole Miss:  Hey, they won six last year, so I can see a repeat.
• Kentucky:  Weird, but this is one of the toughest calls on the board, which means that’s not good for Stoops.
• Tennessee:  If the Vols wind up bowl eligible, Pruitt will have done a good job this season.
• Vanderbilt:  Sad, but true.

Your thoughts?

Another one of “those” posts

While we were all patting the NCAA on the back for liberalizing its transfer and redshirt rules yesterday, Maryland offensive lineman Jordan McNair, whose hospitalization from something that occurred during summer workouts I posted about recently, died.

Amazingly enough, that’s not what’s got my outrage meter in the red this morning.  This is:

According to a GoFundMe page started to help raise money for his parents, Tonya and Marty, McNair received a liver transplant and was expected to be hospitalized for several months.

The goal of $20,000 already had been surpassed as of Wednesday afternoon.

This kid was terminally injured on the job — call it what you want, if that’s better for you — and the parents have to resort to GoFundMe instead of the school stepping up?  Oh, wait.

The school said in a statement that counseling services would be provided to student-atheltes and staff.

You’re all heart, Terps.

Pardon my French, but that is some seriously fucked-up shit.