Tasty sour grapes are tasty.

Shot.

The main takeaway from the Combine this year: Draft every Georgia defensive player

— Trevor Sikkema (@TampaBayTre) March 6, 2022

Chaser.

As long as their opponents have two injured 1,000 yard receivers, it’ll work out

— Fitz (@fitza66) March 7, 2022

You know, I thought I would grow tired of the whining by a segment of the ‘Bama fan base, but the longer it goes on, the more I find myself enjoying it.

Everybody’s got something to work on.

And we know what that is in Stetson Bennett’s case.

#UGA's Stetson Bennett in 2021:

On 1st & 2nd down:
91.3 grade (#4 in P5) & 127.9 passer rating (#2 in P5)

On 3rd & 4th down:
56.9 grade (#58 in P5) & 107.9 passer rating (#16 in P5)

A breakdown of every 3rd/4th drop-back coming tomorrow on @UGASportscom

— Brent Rollins (@BrentRollinsPhD) March 7, 2022

The less Bennett faced must throw situations, the better he was as a quarterback.  Monken, aided by the defense, did a masterful job of keeping those situations to a minimum, but there’s no way to eliminate them entirely.  Third down is an area where Stetson is going to have to step up and improve this season.

It’s not too early to start thinking about spring football.

Seth Emerson’s piece this morning ($$) is a tribute to the take that Georgia has achieved “reloading, not rebuilding” status under Smart.

There’s a lot we should be hearing about, but I already know the first thing I’m looking forward to watching at G-Day:  QBR.

Nah, just kidding.  This is.

Arik Gilbert

He’s back. Actually, the former five-star recruit, and star tight end at LSU, has been back with the team since early January, after leaving during the preseason for personal reasons. Gilbert was also cited by Smart last week as one of three “academic players of the week”, which is encouraging, but he was last summer, too,before his departure.

But if Gilbert is ready to go, he offers a dynamic that isn’t getting enough mention. (Understandably, given last year.) Gilbert, who could play a hybrid tight end-receiver role, has game-changing ability, and if it all comes together his production could easily eclipse what Georgia lost in Jermaine Burton.

Darnell Washington

Speaking of tight ends, Washington is still here, and the path should be clear for him to be a focal point this spring. Bowers is sitting out after labrum surgery — he should be fine by summer workouts — and John FitzPatrick is off to the NFL.

Washington seems one of those tools that Monken hasn’t fully tapped yet: 17 catches in two years, only one touchdown. It’s hard to fault that much with Bowers’ explosion last year, and the overall success of the offense. Still, as Monken looks to take this offense to a level it may need to this year to make up for the defensive losses, Washington, as well as Gilbert, could be two key figures.

Bowers’ absence should mean we get to see a heavy dose of Washington and Gilbert.  (Actually, any dose of Gilbert should be fun to see.)  Hopefully after G-Day we can spend the summer drooling in anticipation over what Monken plans to do with those two and Bowers come the opener against Oregon.

At Georgia Tech, hope isn’t the best of things.

It’s the most awkward of things.

You’d think someone reading Stingtalk for thirteen years or so would know better.

Combine recruiting

While I’m sure the just-concluded NFL Combine will make for great sales fodder on the recruiting trail for Smart and Company, I’m not sure I’m ready to go this far:

2.  This NFL Combine will allow Georgia to surpass Alabama in recruiting.

Farrell’s Take: FACT. Maybe Georgia already has surpassed Alabama in recruiting as Kirby Smart has had three No. 1 recruiting classes in the last four cycles and after the amazing performance of his former players at the NFL Combine, more No. 1 finishes are in store.

But wait, Alabama has produced so many more first-rounders and has dominated the combine before as well so isn’t this an overreaction? Nope. There is more talent in Georgia than there is in Alabama and Smart has recruited as well nationally as Nick Saban, so this could be the first sign of someone separating from Alabama.

Maybe I’m wrong, but “could be the first sign” appears to be doing some heavy lifting there.  Shit, I’m happy if Smart’s merely keeping even with Saban in the recruiting department.

On the other hand, count me in the group who believes the “Georgia can’t develop players” narrative is something that was put to death for good this past weekend.

Kirby murdered a meme.

RIP.

Y’all throw those Kirby-Richt comparison edits away with the Christmas lights? Haven’t seen either since early January.

— Josh Pate (@LateKickJosh) March 6, 2022

Can you think of any more social media hot takes that have been (or should have been) dumped in the trashcan after Indy?