Need some cheering up? Say hi to Fred from Alabama.
At least it took several years for Gator fans to sound like we used to once upon a time. Fred’s leaped across that threshold in record time.
Daily Archives: January 13, 2022
Nice while it lasted
I’m having a sad right now. Why? ‘Cause, this:
Yeah, “may” could be doing some heavy lifting, but still…
As far as the Addae news, it sounds like Kirby’s already working on Plan B.
Say what you will, Georgia football isn’t boring these days.
Filed under Georgia Football
Elite, by the numbers
Georgia’s defensive performance, when you see it laid out like this ($$), is epic.
This defense finished No. 1 in the FBS in points per drive (0.78) and No. 1 in red zone defense, with more field goals allowed (11) than touchdowns (nine) for the 32 instances in which an offense reached their 20-yard line. These guys got a nation-leading 155 third-down stops on the season. They only allowed three rushing touchdowns all year. They finished No. 2 in yards per play, yards per rush, yards per attempt, first downs allowed per game and explosive (20-plus yards) plays allowed per game. They finished among the top five in three-and-out rate and sacks. This unit took the field together for 179 drives this season, and more than half of them ended with punts.
What a friggin’ year!
Filed under Georgia Football, Stats Geek!
No time like the right time
Someone in the comments yesterday brought up William Poole’s performance in the natty. He might have been the biggest surprise of the game.
‘Bama went after him early. You would have, too, based on his struggles in the SECCG. But, as Anthony Treash pointed out, the Orange Bowl gave us a clue that Poole was figuring things out.
Flex D: William Poole, Georgia Bulldogs
Georgia made a sudden change in the SEC championship at STAR (i.e., the slot corner), as it opted to play Poole at the position even though he played only 23 coverage snaps in the regular season and Latavious Brini had started there up until that point. Unsurprisingly, Poole struggled with a poor PFF grade for the game, but in the Orange Bowl and national title game, the senior righted the ship. Poole posted an 81.3 coverage grade across those two games, as he allowed just two first downs on 12 targets while forcing three incompletions and two passing stops.
In the national championship game, Alabama targeted Poole and Ringo early and often. Poole whiffed on a shot or two in the first quarter, but played his ass off the rest of the game. As for Ringo, ‘Bama picked on him one time too many.
Filed under Georgia Football, Stats Geek!
Not everybody hurts.
I honestly, sincerely, don’t have an ounce of snark in me this week. Watching Georgia win a natty by finally getting past the GOAT has left me in a serene state of mind. I don’t think I need to convince anyone that Alabama and Georgia were the two best teams in the country this season.
So, trust me when I tell you that I’m linking to this Roll Bama Roll post not out of a sense of mockery, but because it may be the greatest example of damning with faint praise that I’ve ever read. I mean, this is how to give grudging credit:
Man, it just sucked not having 2,700 yards worth of receiving talent out there tonight. It really, really did.
And look, I was around in 2009 when Alabama defeated Texas after the Longhorns lost Colt McCoy. I won’t take anything away from Georgia or their defense. It was a phenomenal effort from them— particularly their linebackers, who made play after play going horizontal against the Alabama offense intent on trying to stretch them out— and they deserve all the credit and joy for their win. They’re the best team in the country this season.
For Alabama fans, though, it makes things a little easier to swallow to accept that playing with an entire squad of back up pass catchers, one healthy running back, and 40% of the offensive line injured just isn’t (nor should be expected to be) a recipe for success.
… Most of us knew this game was over as soon as Jameson Williams’ knee blew out in the open field. There have been much, much more painful losses in championship games under Nick Saban.
*** Chef’s kiss ***.
Filed under Alabama
Tuesday ticket exchange
One more exchange than I was expecting, to be honest, but I’ve had a couple of requests for a post to allow for ticket swapping for the championship celebration ceremony Saturday. So, if you have and can’t go, or you want but don’t have a ticket, speak up in the comments. And don’t forget the specifics.
Filed under GTP Stuff
SEC Power Poll, final edition
A very memorable season is in the books. I’m not sure any further introduction to the PP is necessary.
- Georgia. Damn, this feels good.
- Alabama. Kirby told Nick this was one of the best coaching jobs of his career. Considering what ‘Bama lost to the NFL, along with the injuries, I can see why he said that.
- Ole Miss. All things considered, Junior did a helluva coaching job this year. They weren’t as dominant offensively as a season ago, the defense was only moderately improved, but they still wound up winning ten games and playing in a NY6 bowl game.
- Kentucky. Ditto for Stoops. To milk ten wins out of that roster was doing some good work.
- Arkansas. And let’s not forget the job Sam Pittman did this season. I don’t think anyone in their right mind saw the Hogs as a nine-win team in the preseason.
- Texas A&M. No, I don’t factor the recruiting rankings for the 2022 class into the Power Poll standings.
- Tennessee. The greatest 7-6 season in Vol history.
- Mississippi State. The Bulldogs beat a couple of teams they shouldn’t have and lost to a couple of teams they shouldn’t have. Your typical Mike Leach season, in other words.
- LSU. They played the bowl game with a shell of a roster, so it’s hard to count that against them, but there’s no excuse for a team with this much talent to have been so mediocre.
- South Carolina. Shane Beamer coaxing seven wins out of this roster was an impressive coaching job, especially considering the ‘Cocks were outscored over the course of the season.
- Auburn. Considering the source, I know it shouldn’t, but it blows my mind how much money the school blew making a coaching change to finish worse than it did. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, though.
- Florida. I’m gonna miss the Portal Master™, by Gawd.
- Missouri. No SEC team should lose to Army.
- Vanderbilt. There’s nowhere to go but up. I say that every year and more times than not Vandy proves me wrong.
Filed under SEC Football
It just meant more.
You need a little Jordan Davis and his emotional send off to the Redcoats this morning.
For all its warts, there’s just something about college football, ‘ya know?
Filed under Georgia Football
Musical palate cleanser, goodbye girl edition
One of the great voices of pop music has been stilled.
Ronnie Spector, the lead singer of the Ronettes, the 1960s vocal trio that gave a passionate, bad-girl edge to pop’s girl-group sound with hits like “Be My Baby” and “Baby, I Love You,” died on Wednesday. She was 78.
She died after “a brief battle with cancer,” according to a statement from her family, which gave no further details.
This is basically your perfect pop single.
Of course, she paid a price for that, marrying the psychotic Phil Spector. It took her years to get out from that relationship. Once she did, she did what she could to resurrect her career. My favorite post-Spector song of hers came with the backing of the E Street Band.
I’ll miss you, Ronnie.
Filed under Uncategorized
Get The Picture 