Man, the SEC recruiting trail is gonna be something over the next few years, ain’t it?
Daily Archives: November 29, 2022
My Week 13 Mumme Poll ballot
Step back, Ohio State.
I have to admit I was close to adding TCU to my list, but decided to wait until I see what they do against K-State. In the meantime…
- Georgia
- Michigan
Filed under Mumme Poll
TFW mediocrity just means more
I know lots of folks are pointing to the Freeze hire as evidence of what life in the SEC is like, but for my money, this Matt Hinton take does a much better job of illustrating that.
Missouri (6-6). The Tigers finally pulled out a close one in the season finale vs. Arkansas after going 1-4 in their previous 5 games decided by single digits. Getting to a bowl game after a 2-4 start doesn’t come close to justifying a $2 million raise for Eli Drinkwitz, but it does give Drink a chance to even up his overall record at Mizzou (currently 17-18), which would at least force people to stop saying “for a coach with a losing record” when they complain about it.
It’s sort of amazing to ponder what it takes to qualify as an athletic director these days. Besides having a pulse, I mean.
Filed under It's Just Bidness, SEC Football
Deal with it
Our buddy Erik Evans is having trouble with Georgia’s continued excellence and I am all here for it.
And, yeah, Georgia is repeating this year. They’re going to kick the shit out of the field in January. I wouldn’t even play starters vs. LSU this week: Just rest up and start gameplanning. I’m going to puke watching that dude Clemson his way to another ring.
Damn, that sounds like it sucks.
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Georgia 37 Georgia Tech 14 – Once again, the Bulldogs struggled to get going against an underwhelming opponent. UGA led by only 10-7 at the half. In the third quarter, the Yeller Jackets’ punter muffed the snap and UGA took over at the 17. It would take Georgia 7 plays to move the ball 16 yards. After Old Man Bennett is stopped twice at the goal line, the QB underthrew a pass to Brock Bowers on 4th & goal that 99 times out of 100 would have been ruled that it touched the ground. But it was Brock Bowers and it is Georgia and it was ruled a touchdown. This “catch” shifted momentum and the Dwags took over from there.
Man, the way those folks have ramped up the butthurt this season is impressive. I mean, “Dwags”? Seriously?
Filed under The Blogosphere
Auburn: the next hire
Now that Cadillac’s in the fold, I have a suggestion for the next addition to Freeze’s staff. This guy:
He’s perfect. I mean, consider this:
- From a recruiting perspective, Pruitt would fit seamlessly into the culture Freeze will establish at Auburn.
- He’s a Saban guy. Barners will lap that shit up.
- You already know how he looks in orange.
- Best of all, you don’t have to worry about a pesky show cause order if you hire the guy before the NCAA slaps a show cause order on him.
They can probably get him pretty cheaply, too. Like I said, perfect.
Filed under Auburn's Cast of Thousands
TFW a walking boot is no problem
Something to keep an eye on this week as the SECCG approaches:
… But also affecting sentiments about Saturday’s game is the uncertain status of Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Daniels suffered a sprained ankle late in the fourth quarter against Texas A&M. Daniels was examined in Baton Rouge, La., on Sunday and received a favorable report, but he was wearing a walking boot at the Tigers’ athletic facility Monday.
“We’re pretty optimistic about his ability to practice on Tuesday,” LSU coach Brian Kelly said. “It wasn’t a high-ankle sprain. Those are the things that you concern yourself with because that’s going to limit his mobility. He’s going to need to have, obviously, all of his mobility and more. Early indications look pretty good.”
The next question becomes whether Daniels will be 100% healthy against the Bulldogs. Daniels has been a major problem for opposing defenses all year when he’s well, especially in the second half of the season. His mobility, however, plays a big part in that.
“Pretty optimistic” and “early indications” are doing some fairly heavy lifting there, especially when you consider this.
Also, despite Daniels’ mobility, LSU ranks 122nd in sacks allowed. Starting a pair of freshmen at offensive tackle in Will Campbell and Emery Jones, the Tigers have allowed 3.42 sacks a game. Generally, Georgia doesn’t prioritize sacking the quarterback in its defensive scheme – it comes in ranked 91st at 1.83 a game – but the Bulldogs picked up the pace late in the season. They recorded six sacks against Tennessee, four against Georgia Tech and 12 in the last four games.
In case you’re wondering, Daniels’ backup is freshman Garrett Nussmeier. He’s attempted 42 passes this season and doesn’t have a single rushing attempt.
We may be looking at this year’s version of Metchie and Williams.
Filed under Georgia Football, SEC Football, Stats Geek!
Freak control
This seems totally normal.
Multiple sources say Freeze has agreed to relinquish control of his social media accounts when he becomes the Auburn coach. The background check on Freeze was extensive, and the school hired a P.R. consultant to handle the expected blowback in bringing him aboard. They are jumping through a lot of hoops for Freeze.
As one source with Auburn ties said Sunday, “If he’s contractually obligated to stay off social media and they had to hire an ‘Oh S—’ firm before he even started, is hiring him really a good idea?”
Auburn knows whom they’re getting into bed with. (And, yes, that analogy seems entirely appropriate here.) Freeze’s coaching resume ain’t bad, but it’s not on the level, say, of an Urban Meyer, who, while also a man with serious character flaws, at least has a few championship rings to flash.
Can’t wait to see the job that P.R. consultant does.
Filed under Auburn's Cast of Thousands, Freeze!
It just means more, divisionless edition
Reading this column made me think of one thing.
The SEC’s two best teams will not play for its conference championship.
We know this, because we know Tennessee is better than LSU. The Vols invaded Tiger Stadium and thumped LSU, 40-13, in October in Baton Rouge.
LSU (9-3, 6-2 SEC), on the heels of a loss to previously hapless Texas A&M, will stumble into the SEC Championship to face No. 1 Georgia in Atlanta.
LSU won a division full of paper tigers thanks to an overtime victory against Alabama. Credit Brian Kelly for a solid debut, in spite of Saturday’s result, but that game proved this team does not belong opposite Georgia in Atlanta.
This marks the SEC’s least-compelling conference championship matchup since Alabama plastered Florida in 2016.
Divisions are to blame.
And that is: can you imagine the Alabama vs. Tennessee shit storm we’d be suffering through right now if the conference had already ditched divisions?
Filed under SEC Football
Pay to stay
Here’s a novel approach to NIL utilization:
Capitalism is the greatest.
Filed under It's Just Bidness
When “due diligence” doesn’t mean what you think it means
Although he’s been courted for bigger jobs in the recent past—even at Auburn in 2020—Freeze’s off-the-field issues at Ole Miss kept many programs from hiring him. While in Oxford, Miss., Freeze presided over a program sanctioned for NCAA rule-breaking and embarrassed over an extramarital scandal that emerged in the summer of ’17.
In fact, the issues delayed his hiring at Auburn, multiple sources told SI. Though he emerged as the Tigers’ primary target Friday after weeks of negotiations with the school, Auburn did not officially hire him until Monday, as the university conducted a deep background check. [Emphasis added.]
What, the published media reports didn’t give you enough of a clue?
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