Holding

Generally speaking, this is more a condemnation of SEC officiating than anything to do with Alabama.

Why does Tua have all day to pitch the ball? 🤔

In each clip the official has a clear line of sight – but is too enamored of Alabama to throw the flag.#BAMAPRIVILEGE @SEC pic.twitter.com/vFm7lD4rpc

— TJ LSU DAD (@tj_lsudad) October 9, 2018

I saw three plays in Sanford Stadium Saturday night when a Vandy offensive lineman grabbed the leg of a Georgia defender as he went by.  No penalties were called.  Not that that’s particularly unique to Georgia, either.

I just wish Steve Shaw would man up and explain what exactly SEC refs consider offensive line holding these days.

Advertisement

“It’s going to bring back a lot of memories.”

I honestly had no idea LSU folks saw the 2003 game against Georgia as such an iconic moment for their program.

“There was something about that day,” Bonnette says. “It will forever be remembered as the day that got us where we are.”

Interestingly enough, some are hoping Saturday is that kind of day for Coach Orgeron.

And now, maybe, it has come full circle. A program that has regressed to its historic mean—eight to nine wins, a nice bowl game and mid-tier SEC finish—is in position to storm back into the championship spotlight with three Top 25 home games in the next month that could make the Florida loss feel like years ago: No. 2 Georgia, No. 25 Mississippi State and No. 1 Alabama. “Every LSU coach has had his game,” Bertman says. “Nick had Georgia in 2003. Les had Florida in 2007. This Georgia game could be it for Ed.”

The first step in a return to glory, the chance to spoil UGA’s banner season, a potential table-setter for another gigantic party—it all arrives Saturday in Tiger Stadium, under the sun.

Or moon, as the case may be.

Former Georgia offensive coordinator Neil Callaway had experienced LSU night games in the past, with a rowdy crowd creating a venue so loud at field level that Bryant once described the experience as “being inside of a drum.” He had always been told that day games were different, more subdued and tame. So, as Georgia’s team buses arrived at Tiger Stadium around 12:30 in the afternoon, he did not expect to see a man’s bare ass. He was wrong. “People were mooning,” says Callaway, now the offensive line coach at USC. “They were lined up out there from the bus to the locker room, hollering and acting like fools.”

I’m sure it will be much calmer this time.

Your weekly advanced stats roundup

Not much has changed.

• Georgia is third in Bill Connelly’s S&P+ rankings and fourth in his Resumé S&P+ rankings.  (Given that the schedule toughens noticeably from here on out, assuming the Dawgs can keep pace, expect the latter to rise.)
• The Dawgs are also third in ESPN’s FPI rankings.  (Again, notice how that remaining SOS number jumps out from the surroundings.)  The closest remaining game projected on the schedule is this week’s.
• Georgia still remains on top of Brian Fremeau’s FEI ratings, a reflection of the team’s efficiencies on offense and defense.
• Bill Connelly’s advanced stats profile of Georgia indicates the same thing.  Note that Georgia is ranked highly in a number of offensive efficiency metrics and the defense is doing similar work with regard to limiting explosive plays.
• One other similarity worth mentioning is that Georgia is doing all this despite mediocre net field position; Fremeau’s ranking of that is 71st, while Bill’s is 89th.

All in all, an impressive picture to this point.

There is one fly in the ointment, though.

Here are the SEC advanced stats through week 5 (using @SBN_BillC 5 factors) Sorted by only differential for now. h/t @ksu_FAN. Alabama continues its death march towards another national title. pic.twitter.com/JIMzFOCDk9

— Nicholas Carr (@NicholasCarr) October 8, 2018

The Tide, especially on offense, is on another planet.

One thing to point to again, notice the drop between the teams at the top of average field position in that chart and the Dawgs.  It’s significant.  I expect some of it — maybe a lot of it — is due to poor blocking on punt returns.  It’s almost criminal how they’re wasting opportunities for Hardman to do some serious damage there.

“I heard it’s a crazy environment, so I’m ready to see what it’s like.”

To reiterate something I posted about yesterday, this strikes me as kind of sad.

Both Smart and Jennings have shared their LSU experiences with Georgia’s players this week. Playing in Tiger Stadium is almost a mythical proposition for players of SEC Eastern Division teams that don’t play LSU as a cross-division rival. Because of the current eight-game SEC schedule model, the Bulldogs will be making their first trip to Baton Rouge since 2008 and won’t return until 2030.

“All of those guys who have played there previous years have told us it’s going to be a great environment and it’s going to be a hard-nosed game,” senior wideout Terry Godwin said. “This is what you come to the SEC for, to play in games like this. It’s going to be a great game.”

He’s right.  Which is why it shouldn’t be something experienced every other decade by fans or players.  It’s pathetic that someone has to describe a conference game as “almost a mythical proposition for players”, SEC.  The conference should offer something better than that.

Charity case

Taken as a whole, this may be the most pathetic justification offered for a powerhouse program to play FCS cupcake games I’ve ever read, especially given that it’s coming from a blog for a school where the head coach just blasted the students for leaving games early.

Today, in too much information

This is what can happen when an “ask the coach” segment gets a little too personal.

Never a problem. I have an unusually large bladder. https://t.co/wqo4WbHExl

— Kyle Whittingham (@UtahCoachWhitt) October 8, 2018

Thanks for sharing, Coach.

Next week, maybe we’ll find out what he does about peeing during a six-overtime game.

There’s coach speak. Then there’s Coach O speak.

Ed Orgeron’s breakdown of Georgia reads pretty anodyne.  It’s much more entertaining heard in the original raspy, somewhat breathless Orgeronese.