Georgia Bulldogs: There Are Only Two Things Worth Knowing About Will Friend

Will Friend is the new offensive line coach at Georgia. He coached at UAB, under Neil Calloway, and played college ball at Alabama. Those are the things we know about Will Friend, the rest is a mystery.

That said, the first question many were asking after hearing about this hire was "why"?

Richt's future at Georgia is teetering on the brink to start the 2011 season—despite a stellar recruiting class—and this hire needed to be money. So, why on earth would he bring in a guy who is 1) unknown, and 2) relatively unproven?

Well, to be quite honest, who Will Friend is doesn't matter. No one knew much about Brian Van Gorder before he arrived at Georgia, from Western Illinois, in 2000 either, and he turned out just fine? If nothing else, trust that Richt understands the security of his job rests on the success of the 2011 season. Everyone on his staff knows that, so he's not going to bring in a guy unless he has faith that he will be a success—sooner rather than later.

That said, there are only two questions any fan needs the answer too, where Will Friend is concerned, A) can he coach, and B) can he recruit. The rest is just message board chatter. So, let's answer those two questions now, shall we?

1. Can he coach?

While no one is likely to mistake an SEC schedule for a Conference USA one, it is interesting to note a few major points when comparing the production of UAB's offensive line versus that of Georgia's last season.

Georgia made 64 rushing attempts on third down last year and those attempts totaled 91-yards of offense. What that means is Georgia averaged a mind-boggling 1.42 yards per carry on all third downs attempted last season—deplorable is the only word for that stat.

By contrast, UAB's rushing attack totaled 245 yards on 74 attempts (that's better than 3.3 yards per carry). Even more, the teams rushing averaged was even more impressive when better than 10 yards was needed to convert the first down (6.54 yards per carry in those situations).

So, again, say what you will about the quality of competition, and the offensive scheme UAB runs, good offensive line play is good offensiveline play and, in Georgia's case, it would be nice to see that kind of production from their stable of talent in 2011.

As far as pass protection is concerned, UAB allowed only 12 sacks last season, good enough for 14th in the nation. Georgia's rank—trotting out what was touted to be one of the best offensive line units in the country—was 66th.

Despite the above points, it would be short-sighted not to point out that the lack of consistent production from the offensive line could have had as much to do with conditioning as it did coaching, so it will be interesting to see how the addition of Friend—coupled with a more fine-tuned S&C program—will translate onto the football field next season.

That said, there should be no doubt that Friend is qualified to coach.

2. Can he recruit?

UAB isn't Georgia, Alabama, Auburn, Tennessee, or Mississippi. Quite frankly, they aren't even the true class of their own conference—that distinction goes to UCF, Houston, and Southern Miss—but Friend still managed to bring quality two and three-star prospects to their university.

That says a lot about the effectiveness of his sales pitch.

Friend has solid footing in both Mississippi and Alabama, as well as relationships with some of the more well-known junior colleges in the south.

He knows what he's doing and if he can sell UAB, he can sell Georgia. Recruiting is about building relationships, and Friend has honed his skills in that area well over the last several years.

Conclusion

The proof will be in the pudding as far as how far Friend's coaching abilities can lead the Bulldogs in 2011 but, for now, let's give him the benefit of the doubt.

What say you?

Georgia Football: Seniors Asked to Return Plaques—Wins Miscalculated

Perhaps Blair Walsh wasn't just speaking for his teammates when he spoke of their feeling "entitled" to win the bowl game against Central Florida last Friday night.

Claude Felton, UGA's spokesman, announced that the seniors would have to return the plaques they received at the teams' annual awards gala—held prior to playing in the Liberty Bowl.

Apparently, the plaques posted a 7-6 record—assuming a bowl win over UCF—that didn't actually happen. According to Felton, it's a common practice at Georgia to include the bowl games as wins and corrections have had to be made at least once before.

How embarrassing.

Perhaps, the idea that the players feel entitled has longer legs than I thought.

We've been hearing a lot about changes coming to the overall culture of Georgia football, and it's obvious that's something that needs to happen across the board.




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Georgia Bulldogs: Mark Richt Has An "Entitlement" Problem

Here's what Georgia head coach, Mark Richt, had to say following the team's loss to Central Florida, "We didn’t want to finish with a loss, we didn’t want to finish with a losing record. No one would have really predicted that, but it is what it is, as they say." 

"It is what it is"...that's the best you can do, coach? I'll tell you this much, this game did nothing to get people excited about Georgia's ability to rebound in 2011 and this staff hasn't shown enough urgency in making the necessary changes to get this program back on the winning track.

The very definition of what this team could be in the future was expressed on the opening offensive drive of the game when Richt elected to kick a field goal, on Central Florida's 2-yard line, instead of going for it on 4th-and-1.

It was as if Richt said, 'I'm willing to settle. You took our best shot—you win'. However, as a fan you're talking at the television, screaming even, because you cannot believe what you are seeing. Then, suddenly, the ugly truth starts to creep in—the line can't do it. 

This offensive line—with its budding NFL prospects—doesn't have the leg drive or the upper body strength to assist our running backs in netting one measly yard.

How depressing is that?


Then you start to understand that there are no more "gimme" games, and no reason for you to believe this team is capable of winning against even the least of its competition. However, that's just the negativity talking. Luckily for you, the team doesn't feel that way about themselves. 

Georgia kicker Blair Walsh made it clear that this team still feels like the one voted No. 1 at the start of the 2008 season. These guys still feel as if their presence alone is enough to scare teams into submission. They entered this game under the notion that they should have been able to win,

"Our attitude needs to change. We’re not entitled to win any games. Even though it was UCF, it was Conference USA, I think we felt like we were entitled to win this game. We can’t feel that way. They’re a great team, they absolutely are. But we need to play better and win. At the end of the day you’re playing football, you’re not playing conference, and which conference is better."

The message in that is this: 'Don't worry about the guys in the uniforms, this is (insert conference here) and—on paper—we're better than they are, so don't bother preparing for the possibility of a loss. We got this'.

If that's the case, maybe they should go back and ask Michigan how embarrassed they felt after losing to Appalachian State, or how shocked Virginia Tech was when they lost to James Madison, or how much of a wake-up call it must have been for Notre Dame to lose to Tulsa.

Entitled?...Really? 6-6 makes you feel "entitled" to win football games—ay yi yi—it's any wonder  these guys have so much time to post comments on Facebook and Twitter, or operate a Ustream account—they are basing their wins on what they "should" be able to do and not what they should be doing.

Good to know.

However, if you see this game as just another isolated incident—with no particular trend in the making—you could easily find a scapegoat.  Blame Mark Richt for his lack of passion, blame Mike Bobo for his unimaginative game-planning, blame Aaron Murray for wearing gloves, blame the offensive line for being deplorable, blame Stacy Searles  (the offensive line coach) for not having the o-line prepared, blame A.J. Green for thinking ahead to the NFL, or blame the entire team for having the audacity to feel "entitled".

Pick any of the above and you'd hardly find a person to fault you for your thought process.

Blair Walsh talked about a "culture change" being on the horizon, but shouldn't that have started in 2008—after the team was decimated by the Crimson Tide in the infamous 'Blackout'? Or in 2009 when the Tennessee Volunteers took them to the woodshed? Or how about this season, after Mississippi State manhandled them in Starkville?

How much more proof does this team need that they aren't "entitled" to anything?

If you're a Georgia fan, how can you be encouraged by this team's prospects for 2011 based on what you saw? And, if you've been like me—a Richt apologist through even the toughest of times—at what point do you start to wonder if he can really turn this thing around?

2010 is history but, after that loss, it's hard to see much better on the horizon for 2011. 

Here's hoping the skeptic in me is proved wrong. Happy New Year!

Related articles

• UCF wins AutoZone Liberty Bowl, downing Georgia 10-6 (commercialappeal.com)

College Football: Louisville Making A Strong Statement For 2011

Make no mistake, Charlie Strong is looking to return the Cardinals to their championship winning ways sooner—not later. He's already made a lot of noise this season by leading his team back to bowl eligibility (just one year shy of them finishing 4-8) and fielding a defense that was, arguably, one of the best in the nation.

Now the eyes of most college football fans turns towards recruiting where, today, Strong was able to pull off another coup by hooking former Miami Hurricane commitment, Teddy Bridgewater.

Bridgewater is rated the No. 2 dual-threat quarterback in the nation by Rivals and was one of the more sought-after prospects in the country this year. He will bring his teammate, and close friend, Eli Rogers along with him for the ride—both are a major 'get'.

Charlie Strong has long been lauded as a phenomenal recruiter and it is clear that he still has his nails dug deep in South Florida as he continues to secure top talent out of the sunshine state's rich pool of high school talent.

Bridgewater is an exciting player to watch, but it is clear that he still relies more on his instincts than his intelligence when it comes to making plays. He's an above-average passer with excellent mobility that can make as many plays on the run as he can standing tall in the pocket.

His potential is endless and he could be the game-changer the Cardinals need on offense.

As for Eli Rogers, he brings great technique to the field. He's phenomenal at running clean routes and making plays with the ball in his hands. He's a bit light, physically, but if he can tack on about 10-15 pounds to his 5'10" frame, he could be devastating to the passing game due to his ability to play bigger than his size would suggest.

Both players are going to make an immediate impact on a Louisville team that is steadily becoming a fierce challenger in the Big East and Charlie Strong continues to impress.

ATS Bowl Predictions for 12/18: Will BYU Crush UTEP In New Mexico?

89-83 is how the Lady ended the college football season. The goal was to get above .500—mission accomplished. Now, it's time to go bowling and the record starts anew.

The first week of bowl season starts on Saturday afternoon as BYU takes on the The University of Texas-El Paso (UTEP) in New Mexico at high noon.

Admittedly, UTEP hasn't been seen very much—aside from an epic walloping they sustained at the hand of Houston—so there is little to be said about how good or bad they truly are this season.

That said, bowl games, particularly those played after several weeks of rest and against an unknown conference, tend to be full of drama. So, UTEP has just as much of an opportunity to win this game as BYU does. Even still, the late season turnaround by the Cougars gives them the edge here.

Jake Heaps began to gain confidence towards the end of his freshman season and seemed more comfortable in the Cougar's offense. He will be their biggest asset this weekend as the game will be won or lost on his play.

That said, let's jump right in with my spread picks for the following games—of which there are three. All lines appear courtesy of VegasInsider.com:

December 18th 

1. BYU vs. UTEP, New Mexico Bowl: BYU (-11.5)

The  Cougars woke up mid-season and showed signs that 2011 would be a much better campaign than 2010.  The Miners have suffered their most crushing losses at the hands of teams with good passing quarterbacks—their secondary cannot keep up. BYU should cruise in this one.

The Lady's Pick: BYU to cover

2. Northern Illinois at Fresno State, Humanitarian Bowl: Northern Illinois (-1.5)

Honestly, if nothing else, the weather will play a huge role in this game. There is plenty of reason to doubt the effectiveness of the Bulldogs in a game where the possibility of snow looms large, against a team with a better than average defense.

The Lady's Pick: Northern Illinois to cover

3. Ohio at Troy, New Orleans Bowl: Troy (-1.5)

You may as well toss a coin to pick this game but, since that's too lame a thing to do, lets just go on history—the MAC plays well against the Sun Belt (4-1). Troy might be favored in  what is likely to be a close game, but go with Ohio.

The Lady's Pick: Ohio to cover

Former Texas Tech Coach, Mike Leach, Has One Word For the SEC..."Aggressive"

In case you didn't know it, Mike Leach has a new job as an on-air analyst for CBS College Sports this coming season. He will be relegated to Conference-USA and Mountain West match-ups but I doubt he will ever be at a loss for words.

That said, he only had one word to describe the SEC when asked, on this CBS SEC Preview Show, what he thought of the conference that, as of now, is the toast of the BCS..."It's Aggressive".