Steele ranks units not just nationally, but also by conference. His SEC rankings for Georgia:
- QB 1
- RB 2
- Rec 2
- OL 1
- DL 4
- LB 3
- DB 3
- ST 1
Alabama ranks first in six categories (tied with Georgia at QB and OL), which is tops for the conference. However, there’s more variation in the Tide’s rankings, as Steele ranks their receivers sixth and special teams seventh.
All in all, it’s another indication Steele perceives the gap is shrinking between the top to two programs in the SEC.
Get The Picture 
two -)
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Friggin’ WP spellcheck, he grumbles…
Thanks for the catch.
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I can’t help myself. The Grady School of Journalism beat editing and grammar into me. Spellcheck is great, except at spotting homonyms.
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*accept 😉
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What?
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Um, KornDawg was correct the first time. Signed, another Grady grad.
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I was just making a joke. I know 81Dog was correct, hence the winking emoji. But I didn’t go to Grady…
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If you can write on a 6th grade level, you didn’t miss a thing. In fact, you might be able to be the Dean now.
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#1 OL? Lol. There’s a massive shift in expectations by Year 3.
2 offensive groups at 1, 2 at 2? What are we goung replace Blame Bobo? with? Chastise Chaney?
It does raise an interesting question. By Steele’s estimation, the offense is the superior side of the ball. Does Chaney open it up more this year? Does he emphasize ball control and field position? Lots of ways to go.
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It’s amazing, really. This time last year, the best you could say was UGA had cautious optimism. The OL was a huge question, the RBs were money, and QB was hoped to be improved. This year? The OL is a force. QB is a strength. The RBs are young but potentially dominant. The rest of the East is in shambles (Boom has SC Jr reeking of adequacy, nothing more).
you never know about injuries, bad calls, bad luck, fluke plays, but UGA should be pretty good. Does anyone really think we wont win the East? Doesn’t mean we will, or we don’t have to perform at a high level, but does anyone expect less? I could get used to winning.
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In order to win the East we have to beat South Carolina in Columbia…period. If we lose that game the Dicks…er…Cocks effectively have a two game conference lead. If we then were to lose another SEC game it would be sayonara to winning the East. Seen that too many times with losing to FU and/or UT. One loss to an SEC East team means no margin for error. We theoretically could beat USC and still not win the East with losses at LSU and Auburn in Athens. Anyone who says this is an easy schedule is FOS. The OOC games are easy. The conference schedule is difficult.
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This is the easiest schedule we have had in years, maybe decades. I’m not sure what you are comparing it to, but compared to the 1990’s- 2000’s of having to face a top 3 UF, top 15 UTk, and top 10 AU, it’s a cakewalk.
USC would have regularly been picked 3rd-4th-5th in the conference with the team they will field this year, but are picked 2nd because the rest of our half conference sucks so bad. FPI gives us an 80% chance of winning that game as of today.
At LSU is tricky because of location, but is also a team we would be favored by double digits on a neutral site game. FPI gives us an 80% chance here as well and a loss is easily overcome because of them being in the west.
Auburn is the closest game on our schedule by FPI at “only” a 67% chance to win. I happen to think Auburn regresses because of having to replace the entire offensive line and RB corps and I think they get run out of the building (literally).
Mizzou will likely be our closest game because of Locke, but I just don’t see them having the defensive chops to hang with our OL this year.
All in all I think undefeated regular season is a distinct possibility (25%), one loss very likely (65%), and 2+ losses very very unlikely (10%).
I’ve only been a dawg fan for 17 years, but this is really the first time I have been able to type something like that preseason in my lifetime. How in the world you could call someone “FOS” for saying this is not a tough schedule is hyperbole or dumb.
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Projected (tough)….I understand what you are trying to say, but you don’t know how tough it is, till ya know. Anyone that pretends they know is FOS. The SEC is ALWAYS tough.
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Carolina loses at least 4..
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The schedule is easy.
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If by opening it up, you mean more consistently seeing Fromm throw 25 passes or so, then I think so. It will still be a run heavy offense though, I suspect.
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If Steele had listed a ranking for depth, that would where Bammer still has us beat pretty well.
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I agree but on sheer talent alone this may be the most physically gifted and deep team we have ever fielded. I know that is a big statement but when they get off the bus its like WTH? We might not get as far as last season but our future looks as bright as I have seen it in the 45 years I have been watching. It is like I told my 20 year old daughter who goes to UNG but is a rabid dawg fan, “I waited almost 50 years for what you are about to get to experience. This is not business as usual at UGA. Soak it up.” I know I am.
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Oh, I don’t disagree. We’re closing that gap, too.
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Here is the blue chip roster ratio for 2017 by SB Nation. Based on our 2018 class success, I would say we probably moved up to at least #3. We are definitely closing, not sure that the 10 to 15% (’18 projection) even makes a difference now. Check Clemson out, they sure are getting a lot of love, probably because of the path they got to take to get there:
Blue-Chip Ratio, 2017:
:
Alabama – 80%
Ohio State – 71%
LSU – 65%
Florida State – 65%
Georgia – 63%
USC – 63%
Michigan – 61%
Auburn – 59%
Clemson – 56%
Notre Dame – 56%
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Yep. Current roster sits at 84. That’s counting Chigbu, who might take a med dq, and Gibbs and Bishop, whose status is uncertain. We have 60 five and four star rated players, pushing the ratio up to 71%.
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Thanks, good job…I was too lazy to do it 😏. Definitely have closed the gap. I really do not feel that the depth difference, is a difference….not a big one. If there is a difference, it may be what class the talent is in.
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I think Steele’s estimation of the defense is based upon lack of experience and not talent. I would expect those numbers get better as the year goes along.
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That is pretty powerful, and I think a bit overstated, but that is subjective and opinions certainly will always vary and leave room for conversation. Regardless of how many categories you reduce UGA in, we are clearly the best in the East, and competitive with whomever we would face from the West come early December. That means UGA will be in the conversation for a Final Four spot all season long. You just cannot expect more, life may not be perfect for UGA fans, but it is very damn good.
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The operative phrase is “whomever we would face from the West.” Everybody else seems to be assuming that will be Bama. Last year Bama didn’t make the SECCG and still won the national championship. We could very well see Auburn, LSU or even Missy State in the SECCG if we win the East, with ATM as a longshot possibility. If we were to win all our regular season games we could lose to the West team in the SECCG, lose the SECCG and still make the playoff a la Bama 2017. When you think about it, Bama has won 2 natties in the last 10 years when the Tide didn’t win its own division much less the SEC.
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Agreed on the operative word. However, Auburn is much like UGA under Richt load expectations on them and they under perform. If they have moderate expectations watch out. Auburn is without their top 2 RBs from last year, if they don’t have 2 powerful backs they drop games to UGA, Bama, and likely another. Coach O at LSU is good for an unexpected loss or 2 in addition to the expected Bama loss. Miss St has a new HC.
I have a hard time seeing Bama not winning the West with 1 loss and this is a very good chance for them to run the table. As a UGA fan I hope they have 1 loss, UGA has 1 loss at most, and 3 other P5 champs have 1 loss or less. It would make the SECCG a play in game for the playoff.
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Looks like the Dawgs average out at 2.1. Do you know/remember what Bama averages out at, given their wider variance of unit rankings? Just curious.
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2.375 ?
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The last regular season was the least stressful since I started watching the Dawgs in the early 70s. It seems like this season may finally be a great time to stop sniffing glue.
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Hard to understand how Bama always seems to be so mediocre on special teams.
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