From Sports Illustrated: “But to set the table for the 2018 college football season, we asked opposing coaches most familiar with the top 20 teams in SI’s preseason rankings for a more forthcoming breakdown of what makes each squad so good—and where each might be vulnerable.”
So? Go on…
Georgia
Since [coach] Kirby Smart took over two years ago their scheme has looked a lot like Smart’s former team’s—but after a few strong recruiting classes, now their personnel is starting to look like Alabama’s, too. When we studied all our opponents, they were, by far, the most physical team, on both offense and defense. … Facing their running game is like being in a boxing match with someone who has a big, strong right hand: You know it’s coming and you’ve got to take it. Center Lamont Gaillard is probably the best in college football. They lost two good running backs in Nick Chubb and Sony Michel so D’Andre Swift will have to shoulder the load, but he could be a star. …
Quarterback Jake Fromm is smart, efficient and doesn’t make mistakes. He’ll be challenged more this season because the run game won’t be quite as dominant, but he’ll have a weapon in wide receiver Riley Ridley. He’s going to get one-on-one coverage because teams will stack the box, so Fromm will have some big-play opportunities. … They’re sound defensively—they don’t blitz you and do all of that exotic stuff. They just line up and say, Let’s play football. You’ve got to go mix it up to beat them.
Wait… where’s the vulnerable part?
Get The Picture 
First: two names mentioned (Lamont and Riley) you wouldn’t exactly expect to be mentioned on the short list… that’s got to be a good thing right?
Secondly, Riley is awesome. But he’s what, the fourth or fifth best receiver on the team right now? He’s getting some mileage out of that national title game. Hoping he’s ready to consistently put forth that kind of production.
LikeLike
…..along with those new 6’4″ – 6’5″ recruit receivers added to the proven scat-back receivers…. man oh man.
LikeLike
Like, Crumpton isn’t cracking in anywhere, is he?
LikeLike
I would not be shocked if he were third best by season’s end. Honestly, he has the potential to be better than TG. Might be more difficult to be better than DRob.
LikeLike
In other words, watch out. Kirby is on this thing.
LikeLike
I need a minute before I can stand up.
LikeLike
Just put on your London Fog trench coat, worked for me in HS when the bell rang and I had to change classes. 🙂
LikeLike
Fake juice and foolin’ em now unnecessary.
LikeLike
Sounds good, but compared with some of the other teams, it also sounds realistic. [Clemson’s D line is so good the linebackers may never get touched? I’ll take that bet]. I really like the comment on Lamont; lots of coaches/analysts have been high on him. It’s a key position that somehow we fill pretty well from Ben Jones to Dave Andrews and now Lamont. Riley is getting props for the championship game, but also because he is Calvin’s brother; still, he’s a really good player. We’re going to score some points this year, and if the defense can hold serve with last year’s we’re going to win a bunch of games.
LikeLike
The vulnerability is where it will always be: if the other team has better WR’s than your corners and a QB who can throw dimes and/or a QB who can pick up 1st downs when the play breaks down you can have a long day.
When you’ve got the corners we do that window becomes very, very narrow.
Obviously, teams that can match your personnel across the LOS will be a challenge too, but that’s getting to be exclusive company.
The biggest thing Kirby has to do is make sure these guy’s stay away from the “rat poison” and we’ll be fine vs. 98% of the teams out there if we keep recruiting like we are.
LikeLike
So they’re vulnerable to teams that are really, really good? I guess I can live with that.
LikeLike
LOS match: that’s like, what? 3 teams? Bama, Ohio State and Clemson? Did I miss somebody?
LikeLike
Auburn
LikeLike
So, basically, we are the cat’s meow.
LikeLike
I’d say more the bee’s knees. Or does that draw too strong a connection to Tech?
LikeLike
They have no sting.
LikeLike
“they don’t blitz you and do all of that exotic stuff”
That’s an interesting quote to me. I recall seeing twists on the d-line and blitzes from the LB’s and corner/star all last season. And they were often very effective. Does the comment mean we don’t do that as much as most teams? I can’t say I watch other teams schemes much except when they play us but, I sure didn’t have the feeling that other teams used blitz and stunt packages more than us.
LikeLike
I know I saw Roquan blitzing up the middle a couple time every game. Didn’t we also scoop and score on a corner blitz against FU?
So I’m not sure what they are talking about.
LikeLike
I think they are saying our D can put consistent pressure on the QB without having to rely on blitzing every play.
LikeLike
Agree. It’s not that we never blitz, but more that we do it infrequently enough that it is more effective when we send it.
LikeLike
They often have an automatic LB blitz if the offense goes empty.
So if the offense spreads 5 out and we have 6 DB’s to cover them and 4 DL, they’ll send the LB to either get a sack or hurry the throw.
However, the basic idea of the defense is to defend the box, stop the run, make them throw and then cover. We’re far from blitz happy. Bringing a 5th and 6th rusher isn’t routine.
We are more likely to confuse the QB than to just bring extra rushers with a blitz.
LikeLike
I’ve been dreaming since post 92 Goff for a preview like that
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, there was this “waited all my life for a team like this”. Of course it was our own coach so not exactly impartial analysis.
LikeLike
I know a lot of folks on here defend him and all, but that dood ruined my college football college experience. Thankfully, I had Dooley’s last year, at least.
LikeLike
So now is the wrong time to mention that in my undergrad years UGA won every home game, 3 SEC titles, played for two national championships, and won one?
Then, the first year of grad school, we slumped all the way to not winning the SEC and beating #2 Texas in the Cotton Bowl?
Too soon?
LikeLike
I’m an ’85 Dawg, so. . . no, not too soon.
LikeLike
Was right there with you ’83. Along with all the great football you mentioned, we got to watch Herschel Walker run track, Dominique Wilkins play basketball, Jeff Pyburn and Buck Belue play baseball.
Good times.
I hope 2018 is as good in football.
LikeLike
2nd floor Milledge Hall alum from ’81-’83. We owned Reed Hall in softball and flag football.
LikeLike
Well, fortunately for me, my parents were both Dawgs from the ’60s. So, I got to watch that stuff as a kid, at least.
LikeLike
Yo, my freshman year was dooley’s last. I was a trumpet player.
LikeLike
… and I, too, graduated in ’92. I saw you play trumpet many times, 92G. Well done, you.
LikeLike
Yep
LikeLike
The telling part to me is the mention of how physical Georgia plays on both sides of the ball. This is recent. This is the kind of thing that takes time to implement; part of the “rebuilding” process. You just don’t get the guys all fired up and expect them to hit harder and win one-on-one battles in the games because you said so. It comes from conditioning, competition and grueling practice..day after day. Kirby caught a lot of flack that first year because there are a lot out there who don’t understand this and it’s cost, and thought he should have just automatically turned out 11 wins since the 2015 team had 10. No, rebuilding means tearing it down and having everyone relearn everything. The SEC East does not look foward to playing Kirby’s boys because Sunday morning, win or lose, they are gonna have a hard time getting out of the bed.
LikeLike
Vulnerable in the job security department?
LikeLike
Our vulnerability is that we’re going to get everbody’s best shot
LikeLike
Remember just a few short years ago when opposing players and coaches all said we were soft? I also remember certain recruits referring to UGA as a relaxed, ‘country club atmosphere ‘
LikeLike
Doing my best to forget.
LikeLike
I’m not as enthralled with the “report” as everyone else seems to be. Somebody didn’t do much homework on this. “Hey, Joe, what’s Georgia’s returning running back’s name”?, “Just a minute, I’ll google it..OK..Yeah..it’s Swift..he’s pretty good, but they lost that Chubb dude..oh yeah and the other guy..what’s his name…Sony…yeah..they’ll miss those two..that’s going to be a big hit on their run game”.
That’s about how some of this research is done.
Which led to this out-sight…
“He’ll (Fromm) be more challenged this year because the running game won’t be as dominant”..
My ass.
The O line is going to be amazing and we have a hell of a lot more than just Swift to replace Chubb and Sony..although Swift WILL be a great one! .Georgia has a load of running backs that may be the greatest collection of running talent anywhere, ever.
. Opposing cornerbacks and safeties are going to be having nightmares about Holyfield breaking through the LOS and bearing down on them.
Not to take anything away from Chubb and Sony…they made this happen, but I’ll say that Fromm will have less challenges than last year, not more, and a lot better receiving corps to meet them. But Georgia’s going to pound that ball down some throats.
LikeLike
OK..so I missed all the positive stuff and focused on one negative statement. Mostly because the rebuilding of the O line is monumental and the running backs are a stable of studs.
But hell, they didn’t even mention Rodrigo either. Maybe we’ll never need a FG attempt.
LikeLike
We do need a tall possession reciever though.
LikeLike
I’m with you man. In the Althon article about our O-line, there’s a link and they have us at 7th in running backs. Those other 6 must have Triple Crown winners because we’ve got a stable full of hosses.
LikeLike
“He’ll (Fromm will) be challenged more this season because the run game won’t be quite as dominant…”
I strongly doubt Fromm will be “challenged more”. As a true freshman he QB’d the team all the way to OT in the championship game.
We’ve got three 4-star RBs, a 5-star RB, and an veteran 3-star RB, along with 4 returning OL starters. The running game will be “dominant” and explosive.
LikeLike
Ain’t one…
LikeLike
Interesting text from observations about Miami: “You’d like to see Richt and the staff make more adjustments too…”
Some things don’t change, I suppose.
LikeLike
I think we’re gonna pass more because we can. Better pass blocking from the oline and a qb that has more of an idea of what he’s doing. Jake’s ability to make us balanced near the end of the season was a good bit better than early and mid season. When Chaney saw a weak secondary he could take advantage of (Mizzou), he used it to help Fromm gain more confidence. I’ve heard Fromm has some more zip on his passes for this season and is in better overall shape.
LikeLike
If the line improves over its outstanding performance last year, I have no worries about our running game. Sony & Nick were incredible talents, but Swift may have better physical tools than either of them. Holyfield and Herrien know what they’re doing. If White and Cook develop, they’re going to get carries as well.
The running game isn’t going anywhere.
LikeLike