When asked if he
felt any pressure coming off a 6-7 season, Georgia Bulldog head coach had this to say, "None, I don’t feel any pressure. None at all".
Well, alrighty then.
As much as the Georgia Bulldogs have been under the microscope these last 18-months, it's nice to see the head coach still taking it all in stride (I say that tongue-in-cheek, of course).
However, sarcasm aside, it might be a good thing that Richt is taking a laid-back approach to things this year. The optimist or, as some have come to label them—the Disney Dawg—might say that Richt's attitude belies a man who feels confident in his team, his strategy, and his coaching staff. He's not worried because he knows he'll be kicking butt and taking names in 2011.
On the other hand, the pessimist might look at him and say, "well, it's the same ol' shuck and jive from Richt. I swear that man is like a James Bond drink—shaken, never stirred". Okay, well, maybe that's a bit corny, but you get the point—everything about this program is under speculation and no one is certain what to believe just yet.
I tend to fall somewhere between 'wait and see' and 'it has to get better from here'.
Surely, Murray will be even better in year two of this offense. He has a better understanding of the reads, the progressions, and his role as a leader on this team. And, even if the running game stalls out of the gate, it won't be due to guys who have forgotten how to play ball or who have become complacent at doing their jobs because they somehow feel entitled to be starting in every game.
Both Washaun Ealey and Caleb King, in my opinion, began believing their own press too much after a successful 2009 campaign that saw them enter 2010 as, possibly, one of the best running back tandems in the SEC. As a result, they were not prepared to get smacked in the mouth the way they were and, seemingly, lost all confidence as ball carriers—not to mention their lack of focus off the football field.
The emergence of Ken 'Boo' Malcome, and the pending arrival of Isaiah Crowell, has relegated both Ealey and King to second-tier status. For the most part, no one is expecting either of them to do anything more than contribute. To be frank, if Ealey breaks 500-yards this season, I would be surprised because he suddenly can't seem to stay healthy and, if Crowell or Malcome turn out to be the types of players many feel they can be, Ealey will likely be competing with Carlton Thomas for the last spot on the depth chart.
As for the receivers, that should be interesting. Neither Marlon Brown nor Rantavious Wooten look like they will be world beaters in 2011, but Orson Charles, Arthur Lynch, and Tavarres King look ready to make something happen and that may be all Georgia needs if the run game takes off.
I suspect the defense will be better in year two and, once offensive line coach, Will Friend, finds his rotation, the offensive line should be competent—if nothing else.
Does that mean Georgia is primed to win the SEC East and shock the world this year? We'll just have to wait and see about that one, but I'm certainly not willing to best against them—yet.
