Damn it, Kirby.

More finger wagging from the AJ-C:

… A person in a position of leadership and influence on a team whose players had been cited or arrested for speeding and/or reckless driving 14 times since two members of the program were killed in a high-speed car crash Jan. 15 has to set a better example…

However, that’s not the entirety of Smart’s identity. He is the highest-paid public official in the state of Georgia. He is the most visible representative of the state’s flagship university. He is the leader of a highly visible organization that represents the state and its 10.9 million residents. He is someone who routinely asks for the support of the team’s fans, who commit their money, time and emotion to the Bulldogs. He is a leader of a group of young men whose driving habits have constituted a safety hazard. Perhaps most importantly in this case, he is someone who leads a team that carries influence over many young drivers at a time when traffic fatalities are on the rise.

Just think of the behavior Smart could change (in this case, by firing Jarvis Jones)…

Texas A&M starting defensive lineman Shemar Turner was arrested for reckless driving on Monday, according to Brazos County Jail records. Turner was released after posting a $3,000 surety bond.

The arrest centered on a motor vehicle incident that occurred on Aug. 12. According to theHouston Chronicle, Turner was driving 85 miles per hour in a busy area near Texas A&M’s campus with speed limits listed at 35 and 45 miles per hour. A responding officer was “unable to safely overtake the vehicle,” which was why the arrest came nearly a month later after Turner’s car was identified.

Turner told investigators that he was late for a meeting and unaware of how fast he was traveling.

Crap like that never happened before Georgia players started speeding.  It’s spreading out.

I think Mark Richt is going to have to surrender the “has lost control” meme to his succcessor.

Requiem for an asskicking

Short, but sweet…

Georgia ILB Jamon Dumas-Johnson on what he remembers about last year's 48-7 win over South Carolina.

"Sandstorm in the first quarter. Then it was over after that."

— Seth Emerson (@SethWEmerson) September 11, 2023

Thank you, sir.  May we have another?

Montana has doubts?

Those of you poo-poohing the slow start the Southeastern Conference has gotten off to this season might want to slow your roll a bit.  Here’s what Stewart Mandel ($$) infers from that:

That doesn’t mean the nation’s strongest conference of the past 16 years suddenly stinks. It just means the selection committee should not afford it the automatic benefit of the doubt it has received in the past. It’s possible that No. 1 Georgia may well face one Top 25 team all season. How will we know how good the Bulldogs actually are?

Yes, that’s pretty incoherent.  The selection committee gets to watch tape, and one would think they’ve chosen people who can recognize the quality of a team regardless of the level of the opposition.  Plus, there’s this concept called advanced stats that I presume even Mandel has heard about.

But the funniest thing there is that he’s linked to Nicole Auerbach’s top 10 rankings… where she has the Dawgs on top.

That said, the media loves to chew on controversy and a down SEC gives them a whole new bone to work on.  And we all know that Dawgrading is a longstanding tradition in college football circles.  You might want to start rooting for some of the teams you don’t ordinarily care for not to shit the bed, at least.

Georgia – UAB: nighty night

This one’s going at 7:30, folks.

Hey, it’s not a nooner!

“Finebaum Christmas”

In case you were wondering how PAWWWLLL!!! preps for a Monday after a ‘Bama loss, here you go.

The Monday after an Alabama loss is the definition of appointment listening of the Paul Finebaum Show. It can be a mix of despair, joy and schadenfreude as all of Finebaum’s loyal listeners want to weigh in on what has been the rarest of events during the Nick Saban era. Listening to that Monday show can feel like you’re eavesdropping on a therapy session.

I think they misspelled “car crash on the side of the highway” at the end there, but you get the idea.

Observations from the armchair, second preseason game edition

I’ve already vented about that segment of the fan base that wants to read so much into Georgia’s first two games (and not in a good way), so I’ll think I’ll jump straight to the bullet points this week.

• Let’s start with the biggest deal from Saturday:  Mekhi Mews is a flat out baller, peeps.  More than anyone, he reminds me of Isaiah McKenzie in that he makes you hold your breath every time he fields a kick.  I predicted in my first Observations post that I thought he’d house a punt return sometime this season;  I’m not sure I expected it so quickly!  He also contributed three receptions.  All in all, a kickass game.
• I was looking for improvements from the first game and Lovett stepped up with a couple of fine catches and looked more sure handed overall.  (He got cheated on the OPI call!)
• Arian Smith didn’t get pushed around this week and had a big 37-yard reception to show for it.
• Rara Thomas continues to show promise.  I’m looking forward to what he can do once he’s better mastered the playbook and route running.
• All that’s nice, but overshadowed to some extent by some truly abysmal perimeter blocking.  Getting Rosemy-Jacksaint helped, but he’s not the only one out there.  (Getting McConkey back will help some, too.)  It’s an area that Georgia’s receivers excelled in last season, so that makes what I’m seeing even more disappointing.  I don’t think it’s the coaching, either.  This is an area of concern going forward.
• Oscar Delp had a couple of nice catches, but his blocking remains an area needing improvement.  Bowers had the opposite sort of game, much to my surprise (the catches, I mean).
• Running back, because of injuries, is also an area of concern.  Milton clearly isn’t 100%.  Robinson is a true freshman.  Those two led the team in carries.  The real noise came from Dillon Bell, whose touchdown run was a real eye opener.  If that’s a fair sample of what he’s capable of, they may need to leave him in the backfield for a couple of plays every week.  Cash Jones doesn’t impress me as a runner, but right now he looks like the best receiving option out of the backfield by far.  His touchdown reception was brilliant.
• This was the second straight week it took Beck a little while to get untracked.  Fortunately he was careful with his pass selection early (although his ball handling was shaky on the fumble, to say the least).  Once he settled in, though, he played quite well.  I loved his TD throw to Rosemy-Jacksaint.  He showed nice touch on a couple of deep balls, too.  The interception I thought was more on Bell than on him.  All in all, another solid effort.
• More of the same from the offensive line, I’m afraid.  Run blocking was spotty at best, but pass protection was more than solid, although they did give up one sack.  But Beck had time and a nice pocket to throw from most of the day.  I don’t know what the answer is here, as I expect teams to keep loading the box until the offense gives them a reason not to do so.  Which was kind of what I saw once Bobo started dialing up more play action stuff…
• On the defensive side, so many got action that, again, it’s hard to cite many for having a dominant game.  Hard, but not impossible:  Starks and Tykee Smith shone again in the secondary; Mondon looked good getting his first extended action of the season; and, of course, Chambliss had that memorable interception.  The important thing is that they went deeply into the depth chart and still held Ball State to three points.
• Special teams?  Well, there was more than Mews to like.  Thorson is impressively consistent, even if the opportunities are few.  Ball State only returned one kickoff, and that for a mere nine yards.  Woodring did miss his first field goal attempt, but if there was ever a time to shank one and learn from it, Saturday was it.
• Another solid effort from Muschamp and Schumann on the defensive side.  Rotating all the young ‘uns in as they did is going to pay off big time.  And they’re doing this while directing a defense than now leads the conference in defensive yards per play.  Not too shabby, in other words.
• Mike Bobo?  It was 31-0 by the half (yes, including the Mews punt return).  Would fans be happier if those points have been spread over the first two quarters instead of the explosion we watched in the second quarter?  I dunno.  Can’t say I really care, either.
• I really feel like the season is unfolding in a way that Smart likes.  His team is winning easily, while showing enough flaws to keep them from getting the big head.  Now, he’s just got to motivate them to improve, right?

And with that, on to this week versus South Carolina.  What’s the over/under on the number of times these players are going to be reminded about what the ‘Cocks did against Tennessee and Clemson last season?

Two takes on Georgia’s start

Bill Connelly ($$) is cautiously concerned.

… They’ve also taken their sweet time getting rolling. In their first four drives against UTM, they went punt-touchdown-punt-punt. In their first two against Ball State, they missed a field goal and punted. In the first halves of these games, they have begun 10 possessions in their own territory but have driven for touchdowns on only three of them.

They had far too much talent, speed and strength for UTM and Ball State, just like they will for most of the opponents on their regular-season schedule. But if you get too used to easing your way into a given game, it can end up costing you against an opponent that starts out on fire and has enough talent to milk a potential lead. South Carolina will likely come out throwing haymakers in Week 3, and both chaos agent Hugh Freeze and chaos school Auburn await in Week 5. Georgia is a projected favorite of at least 11 points in each of its next eight games, so the margin for error is high. But showing a little bit of urgency before they actually need to would be a plus.

At least he didn’t mention Mike Bobo.  Call that the glass half empty take.

Pete Fiutak offers the glass half full take.

And yes, there are some out there who think that Georgia might be slipping just because it wasn’t high-octane fully-focused sharp in two tune-up games it didn’t need to be high-octane fully-focused sharp for.

Call this a case of out-of-sight, out-of-mind.

Last year’s team beat a great Oregon squad two minutes after the opening kickoff of the season, and while it seems like all of the other top teams are doing something big – except for No. 2 Michigan, at least so far – this year’s Georgia team played two teams that, apparently, no one outside of friends, family, and superfans wanted to watch.

I’m not joking. Find anyone outside of the southeast portion of our nation who can name one current Georgia Bulldog – okay, other than Bowers.

Georgia received fewer points in both of the polls this week – it’s still No. 1, though – and now, if it’s humanly possible, this two-time defending national champion loaded with Johnny Five-Stars, NFL prospects, and the depth to fill in anywhere need might actually be underrated.

The South Carolina game is this week. People will watch that.

Just a gut feeling, but Georgia is about to care, and then everyone else will, too.

Really, they’re both saying the same thing, if you think about it.

2023 SEC Net YPP, Week 2

Regresssion to the mean is this week’s story.  The spread between first and last has shrunk from 6.69 last week to 3.75 today.  Here’s how it breaks down:

1. Ole Miss. +3.67 (7.52 o; 3.85 d) [NC:  -1.88]
2. Georgia +3.43 (7.21 o; 3.78 d) [NC:  -0.43]
3. Tennessee +2.49 (6.37 o; 3.88 d) [NC:  -0.24]
4. Florida +2.41 (6.52 o; 4.11 d) [NC:  +2.18]
5. Kentucky +2.09 (6.86 o; 4.77 d) [NC:  -0.76]
6. Missouri +1.92 (5.75 o; 3.83 d) [NC:  -1.47]
7. Mississippi State +1.64 (6.71 o; 5.07 d) [NC:  -2.23]
8. Arkansas +1.51 (5.50 o; 3.99 d) [NC:  -.54]
9. Alabama +1.40 (6.29 o; 4.89 d) [NC:  -1.92]
10. Auburn +1.37 (5.82 o; 4.45 d) [NC:  +.14]
11. LSU +0.94 (7.40 o; 6.46 d) [NC:  +1.23]
12. South Carolina +0.72 (6.27 o; 5.55 d) [NC:  +1.86]
13. Vanderbilt +0.68 (6.42 o; 5.55 d) [NC:  -0.31]
14. Texas A&M -0.08 (5.82 o; 5.90 d) [NC:  -2.84]

Turnover margin:

• +6:  Arkansas
• +5:  Mississippi State
• +3:  Georgia, Ole Miss
• +2:  Kentucky, South Carolina
• +1:  Auburn, LSU
• -0-:  Alabama, Tennessee, Vanderbilt
• -1:  Missouri, Texas A&M
• -2:  Florida

Thoughts and random observations:

• Average offensive ypp:  6.04 (down 0.69 from last week)
• Average defensive ypp:  4.77 (up 0.48 from last week)
• Georgia has restored order on one side of the books, as the Dawgs are now first in the conference in defensive ypp.
• Warning signs?  Sure Alabama’s and TAMU’s drops stand out, but Ole Miss took a hit by Tulane, MSU by Arizona and, perhaps most alarming, Missouri’s came at the hands of MTSU.

It’s nice to be wanted.

Move over, ‘Bama.  There’s a new target in Austin, Texas.

Crowd chanting "WE WANT GEORGIA" and "SEC, SEC" and getting in the fountain at the six pack #HookEm pic.twitter.com/cWrQHv5SMs

— Ben Hartman (@Benhartman) September 10, 2023

Be careful what you wish for, kids.

2023 SEC Power Poll, Week Two

Tweeted after Texas win over Bama.

The SEC picked up wins over Arizona and Cal after that to advance to 3-6 against Power 5 Teams this season.

— Jordan Crammer (@JordanCrammer) September 10, 2023

Not exactly what you’d call a great start there.

1. Georgia.  The season starts now.
2. Alabama.  Lots of talent, lots of sloppiness, line play again not up to what had been the ‘Bama standard.  In other words, pretty much like last season, except no Bryce Young.
3. Tennessee.  For a guy who can supposedly sling the ball a zillion miles, last place in the conference in yards per attempt seems a funny place to find Joe Milton.
4. Ole Miss.  Yeah, they had a tough time with a Tulane team missing their starting quarterback, but who would you stick here if not them?
5. LSU.  After seeing what happened to Alabama and Texas A&M, I bet these guys feel a lot better about themselves.
6. Kentucky.  I’m beginning to think my preseason assessment of the ‘Cats was a tad optimistic.
7. Arkansas.  The offense is playing about as poorly as I thought they would under Dan Enos, but the defense and turnover margin is keeping the Hogs buoyed for now.
8. Mississippi State.  Beating an Arizona in overtime after going +4 in turnover margin isn’t a good sign of things to come.
9. Texas A&M.  As much as I’d like to blame the loss on Petrino, I can’t.  Jimbo Fisher wastes more talent than Rod Stewart.
10. Auburn.  Speaking of not good signs, beating Cal 13-10 qualifies as another one.  The Tigers only generated 230 yards of offense.
11. Missouri.  The Tigers are shaping up for a rerun of last season, decent on defense and not so decent on offense.
12. Vanderbilt.  A team like the ‘Dores can’t afford three turnovers against a respectable ACC team like Wake.
13. Florida.  Crushed a cupcake as their tuneup for the annual meteor game against the Vols.
14. South Carolina.  The ‘Cocks only gave up one sack and Spencer Rattler turned in a 236.60 passer rating.  It’s pretty obvious what Job One will be this week for Georgia’s defense.