About damned time, too. The offseason’s been too long for this blogger.
Enough whining, though. Let’s turn our thoughts north to Nashville.
I don’t think it’s bold to say that Georgia holds a significant talent advantage against Vanderbilt tonight. Jake Rowe’s comparison of each team’s unit groups gives the edge to the Dawgs in eight areas, with one to Vandy (tight end, in case you’re wondering) and one push (wide receiver). Even that doesn’t do justice to the size of the gap in certain units, like linebacker.
That all being said, this does not shape up as a Clemson-Georgia Tech-style meeting. Vanderbilt has a functioning offense, for one thing. In fact, that sells the ‘Dores a little short, in that they have All-SEC talent at wide receiver, tight end and running back. And while I wouldn’t characterize their offensive line as elite, it is at least competent. If either of the two quarterbacks being groomed as Shurmur’s successor is even somewhat capable, Vandy’s offense will present something of a challenge to Georgia’s defense.
On defense, however, it’s a different story. Vanderbilt looks to be okay on the d-line, but I’m not sure okay will be good enough against Georgia’s o-line. The bigger problem for the ‘Dores is that they’ve suffered serious losses in the back seven and have questions about how those are being plugged. By the way, those are losses from a defense that ranked next to last in the conference in yards per play last season.
Still, it’s a good test for a Georgia team that needs to find a few answers in the receiving corps and maybe to see how some of the new cogs on defense mesh with each other. (Oh, and let’s not forget about havoc, people.)
Georgia is a three-touchdown favorite and I like it to cover, not because Kirby Smart disrespects Derek Mason or is jonesing to humiliate Vanderbilt, but simply because I think he wants to come out of the gate making a statement about his team deserving the elite status it’s been anointed with in the preseason. I tend to think this won’t be a sloppy playing bunch that comes out tonight and I don’t expect Georgia to be bitten with the turnover bug.
And with that, I’ll turn the podium over to you guys. What are you looking to see tonight, how do you expect Georgia to do and what are your biggest concerns? Have at it in the comments.
Yep, I agree about Kirby wanting to open with a strong statement. I think the team leadership will show up today as well. We should cover easily and that’s no slight on Vandy. I just think we will play to our potential.
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Zeus.
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This is what I want
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What I’d like to see today and the next 2 weeks is pass pass pass and pass some more to get the young WR’s up to speed, and then fresh legs on the ground when ND comes to town. What I expect to see is vanilla, close to vest and balanced playcalling. Uga 42-13.
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Probably enough to get us Dawg graded until ND. No matter the outcome, the pundits will take from Fromm and give to Fields/Eason.
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Ok if we don’t cover and play sloppy but still win let’s all agree that we won’t panic and fret ourselves sick next week. Any takers? I didn’t think so. Beautiful morning in Nashville.
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It’s all about that defense.
I want to see pressure on the quarterback k and turnovers. If that’s not there against Vandy, you can forget NC.
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Natty or bust week 1!!!
Tonight decides …. everything!
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We shit-canned Mr. 10-Win.
Time to produce the goods.
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and if we don’t pressure and get turnovers today FIRE HIM!!!
I mean we’ll know all is lost right?
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LOL. TN Dawg, is that you??
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I expect a classic uga game – Vandy keeps it close for a quarter then gets worn out. Our receivers have some drops and everyone freaks out. We dominate third quarter.
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Yep. Vandy may not so much ‘keep it close’ as we do. There isn’t much point in opening with a flea flicker or other trick play, so we will do mainly what we have been doing and see how that works, and make adjustments if we need to do so. But even though we can only bring 70 every one of that 70 can PLAY and we will pull away in the 2d quarter. Most important thing to remember is that this isn’t just the first game of the season: it is an SEC game and a win is something we have to have.
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Happy tailgating and man caving to you all. Like Derek above, I’m looking forward to seeing Zamir finally tote the rock. Here’s to hoping that the “ball ain’t heavy” for him.
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We will cover easily. My take is how many times we’ll target the tight end and how many touches Zeus gets. The more touches for him the more the staff believes he’s over his injuries. Also it’s a Dawg takeover in Nashville
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Here we go!
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After the last two seasons, I feel completely comfortable with Kirbys’ ability to have this team ready to wreak havoc on a lesser SEC opponent. This creates a serious conflict with my inner Munson of so many years. Is it wrong for a dawg fan to just know that we won’t Dawgs start slowly but are rolling by middle of the 3rd. It’s GAME DAY!!
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Won’t crap the bed. Jeez
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…that we won’t crap the bed. Jeez
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Justin Fields off to a pretty good start at tOSU.
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He can hit an uncovered receiver too.
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Damn.
It appears he’s figured out how to read a defense.
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Looks like the kid can play a little.
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More holes in that defense than Swiss cheese.
My noodle arm could complete those throws.
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Its FAU ya’ll…..
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No, he has not. He is looking to the sideline for the pre-snap read. As of the end of aOSU’s first drive of the 2nd quarter, he has not moved to his second read. On every passing play, he has either thrown to the first read or scrambled. They haven’t even given his something like a Smash or Flood concept where he has to make a read on levels. He has also made two bad reads on zone read calls.
If he plays like this against a defense that will give him a keep read and has the pass covered on an RPO, he is going to lose some teeth.
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Well, it is the next drive and he made a couple of good plays. His first read was hitch that was covered. He slid to his right to get a good view of his second read of the TE on the crossing route. The then checked down to the RB after his read was covered on a later play… before throwing a bad backwards pass on the WR screen.
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Ever since Chris Conley was 5 yards short in 2012, all I have wanted for Christmas was Bama’s OL from 2012. This is the closest thing we have had to that in my lifetime. Running the ball against SEC defenses when they are fresh is very difficult. If the OL is where we need them to be in order to get where we want to go, the OL will need to get movement against Vandy’s defensive from the first snap instead of the middle of the 2nd quarter. We’ll see.
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Hello World…meet George Pickens
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First 5:48 at osu for Justin Fields:
1 rush for 51 and a TD
Also 4 of 4 for 71 yards and 2 tds
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FAU’s defense is pathetic. Not saying Fields isn’t talented, but anybody would look good against those bums.
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Since then he’s looked the same as last year. Meh.
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He finished 18/25 (just below 75%), 4 TDs.
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UGA 41 to Vandy 10
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Want to see a dominating defense and of course, HAVOC
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No injuries.. please.
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Vandy is prepared mentally for the Dawgs and will give a good game based upon their returning all-SEC three. Similar to last year, they may lead in rushing yards before we catch up and finish their tired asses. They also may try to create more havoc than we do by going for the ball every time it remains in a set of UGA hands (what are they supposed to do, sit around and watch us try it on them while they do nothing?).
Remember, it’s our first game also. Looking forward to watching the D-line of this year and the RBs tuning up, especially Zeus.
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Of course, I’ll be happy with any kind of win.
But some part of me will be disappointed if we don’t run the ball for 600+ yards today. Swift, Zeus, Herrien, Cook … I want to see them all go nuts.
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Two points at 2:54 CST
A) Willie Tagert sux….Boise 650 yards
B) Eason 10/13 119 yds 2 TDs
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Eason finished 14/17 (over 75%), 3 TDs. Fields 18/25 (72%), 4TDs.
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First, UGA will win. Secondly, I would usually pass on a road conference game giving 3 TDs, and especially an opening game. But I bet this game, have added to it twice, and will add another layer before game time. My conversations with people who have attended practices, the talent gap, Kirby’s tweaks to his offensive and defensive philosophies to be more aggressive, plus a few good slugs of the Red and Black KoolAide have made me get aggressive myself. See it something like 48-16. Blame me later.
Go Dawgs! Let’s get this party started.
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I’m digging your mindset. That is a fine sampling of judicious smacktalk immersed with red-blooded opportunism. Sic “Em, Scotchie…
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Meanwhile, AL isn’t looking all that against Duke. I can’t wait to see the Dawgs turned loose!
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No one in the SEC is looking good today. It’s like I can hear our inner Munson trying to sneak in the house. I’m not sure if this means I need to drink more or less 2 and half hours before kickoff.
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Is phat phil gonna give himself a battlefield promotion?
Losing to Georgia state into the 4th??
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Possible. Before that unfortunate QB fumble the Trashcan was in dire trouble. But even so, they do NOT appear physically in a class with the upper half of the SEC. The 75K in the stadium ain’t a promising look either.
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Anyone who would like to witness the beginning of the end of Coach Asparagus, needs to flip on the Ga. State – Trashcan U. game stat! GSU is grinding UT down running it straight down the field at the start of the 4th. The Orange Trashcan is wearing down in the final quarter.
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Hope those who see this are in time to flip to Ga St/Tenn. Ga St was in the red zone and leading 21/20 when they just fumbled. If they could have scored then, a 28/20 score would have been insurmountable (in my estimate) due to the lethargic Tenn-D. Ga St is making UT look pretty ugly.
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Looks like we’re all on the same page, Cojo — I had to take a look, and now I cannot turn away.
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Amazing! Ga St is up 28/23 and just recovered a Tenn fumble!
.Wish everyone could see this and cheer Ga St until their last breath. They are playing some ball and just made another 3rd down. Whoopee!
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Panthers Scoooore! 35/23 with less than 4 mins to go in the game.
How ’bout them Panthers!
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Sic “em, Panthers…
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Panthers win!
38/30 after Tenn scored with 2 secs remaining.
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Back up!
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RAZZLE DAZZLE ON THE TWO!
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BOO
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A guy told me that they are going to shut down all traffic in Athens 4 hrs before the ND game???
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GAME OVER….Ga. State has a very capable QB. And the Dawgs will be able to rush for 400 yds. based on the LOS movement that the Panthers were able to effect. Good Lawd, how biazarre!
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And that isn’t an upset. GSU is the better team.
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That’s no lie—
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And an “Amen!” from here. Enjoyed that witcha’, Lone. I was writing my post when you posted. Yes, we were on the same enjoyable page. The spread was -26 for Tenn and I understand fully why Chaney is there. If this keeps up, they won’t make it to the end of the season.
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Chaney be working on his 401K. That’s the message I picked up from what he was putting down.
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LOL! Jim Chaney and Jeremy Pruitt!
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Time to replace tech with Georgia state.
For strength of schedule reasons…
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They are the largest school in the state now.
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Metro ATL FTW…
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They were consolidated with GPC.
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Did not know that…
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Georgia State University is the ninth-largest United States public university by enrollment (51,000). The top 10 United States public university campuses by enrollment are: University of Central Florida, Texas A&M University, Ohio State University, Florida International University, University of Florida, University of Minnesota, University of Texas at Austin, Arizona State University, Georgia State University, University of South Florida
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404 baby
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Bet the GSU fans will hang around for Rocky Top!
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How long ‘til Fuller takes the headset? Asking for a friend…
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them two tenn. DBs got juked out by the GA St. QB then ran into each other & got hurt as he ran in for the TD, man.
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The only thing that got hurt was their egos. That was simply two cases of “Losers’ Limp”.
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BOOM!
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You did not disappoint, vowels! I heard, saw, and embraced the suck that is tn.
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Boom goes down, too.
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From the Volnation board:
sccshortstop said:
Remind anyone of Bitchh jones
This is 20 times worse than Butch Jones.
Hahahahaha!
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Holy shit, it is classic. Do we fire Pruit (sic) now? Bwahahahahahah.
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Have to admit it: already feeling it for Vandy. This could be a 50-pointer for the offense if they want that. I hope they save those points for RC10-Trashcan.
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This Coley guy may be okay.
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I think our defense plays ‘small’.
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5 star o line my ass.
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4th and Coley
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Typical sloppy Vandy game. Three straight dominant drives then slop around.
Sure would be nice to finish strong on these games.
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And I didn’t notice a lot of havoc. But not sure I’d recognize it if I saw it.
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Maybe that was havoc.
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Somebody tell me we are going all vanilla on offense and not showing anything on purpose
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Again, 5 star o line my ass.
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How’s the whining going?
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Dawgs win! Drinks on illini84!
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Them’s was the days!
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How you doing buddy?
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I see that Malzahn still has that rabbit’s foot. I fucking hate Auburn.
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Over 450 yards of offense with 325 on ground. Gave up less than 170 on defense. Won comfortably and stayed healthy. Sure, too many penalties(10 for 117 yds, yikes) and a horrible 3rd down conversation rate(1 of 7) that cost another TD or two but that was a pretty ideal opener. We weren’t as sharp as will be needed down the road and still beat an SEC team handily.
Side note: I had no idea what Zamir went through at birth and the prospects for his future that the doctors gave him. Makes me pull for him even more! In case anyone missed it- his mom gave birth 14. He was barely over 1 pound at 6 months, had 2 cysts on his spine, a cleft lip, cleft palate and was told he might grown to 5′ 2”.
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Agreed. Total domination. Fromm did not look sharp but defense, o-line, and running backs look awesome. Was nice to play so many people last night. Should have put Stetson in at qb after halftime.
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The substitution was one reason the production went down, but we were spoiled from the git-go with that first O-line push.
Think we all should take a breath and take it game-by-game until the final gun of the season. Go Dawgs!
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If anyone is feeling hypercritical of the team’s efforts, thinking of the other teams’ fans in the East and how they feel this AM should pick you up.
It’s great to be a Dawg fan!
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