Bill Connelly’s Georgia preview has everything you could want. This, for example, is as succinct a summary of the transition as you could write:
Richt always recruited well, but Smart’s been otherworldly. And while Richt got within a play of the title game, Smart got to within a play of the title. He’s already further along.
I’d urge you to read the whole thing, but I doubt you need my urging.
Get The Picture 
He could have been more succinct and left the Richt comparison out. Since he included the Richt comparison , he should have made it a fair one and acknowledged that Smart has benefited from a playoff format that Richt didn’t have.
Just picking nits
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That goes both ways. If Kirby’s ’17 team played under the BCS system, they would’ve been the formula’s #2 and played #1 Clemson for the title. Less challenging than winning the second-greatest Rose Bowl of all time and then playing Bama.
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I’m as ready as anyone to move on from the Richt comparisons, but fair is fair.
Georgia was the #3 seed in 2017. Not #2. Just like they would have been in 2002. And probably 2005, 2012. And that 2007 would have been either #3 or #4.
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UGA was the #3 seed as voted on by the CFP committee. They would’ve been the #2 if using the BCS formula.
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Gotcha. Fair point, if accurate. Trying to remember: wasn’t there at least SOME objective measure to BCS? So the comparisons couldn’t be evaluated exactly?
Just fair to also note, back to the original point, the only difference in the two situations of “title” versus “title game” is that one had a playoff and one didn’t. That 2013 SECCG was the title game, more or less.
Further, put a playoff in place in 2002, and we definitely get in and there’s a fair chance we win it all. Same could be said for 2007.
The existence of a playoff would have given Richt the mulligan he seemed to need every year, and like Kirby possibly needed in 2017.
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We absolutely agree on that.
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…and 2007. We probably would have won it in ’07. We were rolling at the end of that year.
Ohio State
LSU
USC
Georgia
Of course, we would have needed the Alabama-doesn’t-have-to-win-their-division-let-alone-conference bump for that to be true and given that we got jumped in the AP and Coaches polls by 3-4 teams so that we couldn’t be #2 in the BCS poll after everyone in front of us lost… They’d probably put OU in before us.
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Hard to say if UGA would be 2 or 3 under the BCS. We witnessed swings in the past. The BCS would leave to see a Heisman Trophy winner play the defending champ.
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*BCS would love to see
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DISAGREE!! YOU ARE WRONG. IT WAS THE GREATEST ROSE BOWL OF ALL TIME!
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OMG, he totally did call it the second greatest. He’ll have to turn in his Dawg Card.
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But maybe his #1 Rose Bowl was 1943….
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Couldn’t be, it wasn’t in color, much less High Def!
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I think the general consensus (present company excluded) was that this was the greatest Rose Bowl of all time. Not saying that I agree but sort of like saying what is the best steak when all of the beef is the highest quality.
It comes down to personal preference.
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All Richt had to do was win the SEC in 2012…he didn’t.
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Neither did Nick Saban in 2011 or 2017. But he got that natty tho!
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1 loss, different format…and they had prior provenance….UGA had none.
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I think you could reasonably say the ’12 SECCG was the functional equivalent of a CFP Semi-final. We all knew the winner was going to the Orange to play Notre Dame.
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Bill C HAD to put in the Richt comparison, because he was all over Georgia for letting Richt go. He walked right up the line of, “Georgia probably made a huge mistake firing Richt, The odds it turns out well for them are low, and I am laying down my ‘told ya so’ markers in no uncertain terms.” He was still nursing those embers in last season’s preview.
In that context, he was just admitting he was wrong. And STILL left himself some wiggle room. He’s a huge Richt fan.
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Pretty much hope to see the D front 7 and OL maul some teams.
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The voluntary rebuild looks pretty good, huh?
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Just wow…We may not get into the playoffs this year based on S&P’s regular season predicted record (10-2). It would take an epic collapse for us not getting in and being favored over everyone not named Alabama in 2019 and 2020…Rebels better take out the Death Star this year, it their last chance for the foreseeable future.
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There is such a thing as an upset–that’s why they play the games. UGA has a 55% probability of beating Auburn and is only favored by 2 points. I remember not too long ago when that game almost always was won by the visiting team, too. Lose that game and we could easily be out of the four team playoff with a loss to Bama in the SECCG. 2012 all over again. We need to not be counting chickens.
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They’ve beaten us three times in the last 12 years. All of those wins are at their place. That “away team wins” was a LOOONG time ago.
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Auburn is also picked to do well which is when they don’t do well. They replace 2 big RBs and a Sr OL. ’18 Auburn reminds me of 2010 UGA.
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Speaking of counting chicken, the team needs to be focused on the Chickens. Yes UGA should win but as you said upsets are a thing. If they win their schedule sets up for them to run the remainder of their SEC schedule even if they drop 1, they would hold the tie breaker. I want some extra crispy chicken wings that Saturday night.
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If we are truly going to talk about fair, which at this point we shouldn’t, we could add the amount of support given to the head coach then and now. Different planets. But life ain’t fair.
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Right Bob. What scares me is karma. CMR didn’t get the same level of support at Georgia that Kirby is getting. CMR IS getting that kind of support at Miami, which is favored to win the ACC Coastal Division. Upset Clemmons in the ACCCG and he’s in the 4 team playoff and a very likely opponent for the Dawgs. Karma can be a bitch.
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I think Kirby demands the support, whereas CMR was okay with taking no for an answer. CMR had plenty of street cred. If he called McG’s bluff and said I’m going to the press or walking outta here if I don’t get what I need, McG and BM would’ve caved. CMR was never going to put in the work and attention to detail that Kirby has. Kirby’s work ethic and organization is at a whole other level that’s rarely seen.
Having said all that, I’m glad CMR was here, I’m glad he landed on his feet elsewhere (despite McG’s ham-handed firing process), and I’m overjoyed Kirby is here now.
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Very well said.
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Pretty much where I am too. UGA is better off for having them both, and I hope both succeed and are happy.
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A nice preview. Hard for us fans to predict any losses the way things are going, but even Bama has had a loss or more every year, so we shall see. The offense is going to be some damn good though (best in the country?), and who doubts that the defense will be at least good even in the worst case scenario?
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11-1, once again, must win in ATL to get a shot. Hopefully Bama is 11-1 too. I don’t think either team can beat the other twice.
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It’s hard to go undefeated and all, but if ever there was an SEC schedule that set up for it, it’s this one. The only game I seriously think Georgia could lose is LSU, and Ed Orgeron is their coach.
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I agree. I’m hoping it’s a 2:30 game and not a night game in Death Valley and I’ll be satisfied with any W even if it’s the skin of our teeth variety.
I don’t get the Auburn love (picked by a Connelly as our toughest game with 55% chance to win). Replacing the entire offensive line, top 2 RB’s, 2/5 WR’s (arguably their best 2) with ACL tears and a rebuilt LB corps and secondary.
They have a top 5 DL, but that is going against our strength in OL. And it’s at home.
I just don’t see us losing that game.
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I’ve never seen anyone analyze the predictive power of his formulas, but I take them with a grain of salt. I think it is overvaluing Auburn, myself, but we’ll see.
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I didn’t see the Georgia loss to Auburn coming last season either, bro. Did you? Just sayin.’
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I didn’t see them winning all the other ones, either. I had the losing 3.
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I expect the offense to be really remarkable. It is likely the most talented UGA offense in the recruiting era.
Potential for every skill position to be a 5 star and several of the linemen.
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We are both Death Star and protagonist. Mixed metaphors notwithstanding, we are all things to all people. Pull up your socks. We comin’.
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All this talk if CMR had this or won that under what format.
CMR especially after his honeymoon always seemed to be filling gaps in position groups after a season where it cost the team. Smart seems to be working hard to fill any gaps as soon as they are identified.
National title contending coaches have to have the successful CEO vision of having a direction for the team and anticipating any weaknesses. Smart seems to get that, CMR is still under signing at Miami not even pushing within a few of the limit.
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If you had tempered that “filling gaps’ with the years where injury combined with suspensions plagued us mightily, I might could go along. Spurrier made his bones with those years and bragged about it. One year there were 17 players, many first string, absent early in the season and it cost us a few games and it was before the “underrecruiting” years.
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http://patrickgarbin.blogspot.com/2015/01/living-low-on-hogs.html
05 Richt signed 1 3 star to the OL was this before 05?
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Just as he said that title shot may never come again. That is my major fear and UGA will continue to be a team of potential. I been a Dawg fan too long to expect anymore.
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Certainly possible, but I would argue unlikely.
Kirby’s recruiting and roster management has very likely placed the floor at 10 wins for the foreseeable future.
It’s incredible, just incredible
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Oh wow. And my tickets came yesterday.
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As another long off season turns begrudgingly into the fall.. just wanted to thank you again for helping pass the time… helping to keep the brain fresh… and keeping my eyes on the prize… “It’s Saturday in Athens”!
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