Georgia Bulldogs: Ten Things To Watch For in Week One

We are quickly approaching the first game of the season for the Georgia Bulldogs and many are anxiously awaiting kickoff. Georgia will face the University of Louisiana-Lafayette's Ragin' Cajuns in week one—a cupcake by the standards of most any Division I school.


That said, Bulldog fans won't take any match-up lightly, especially when it's one that will feature a Georgia team that has a new-look front seven, a new-look quarterback, and a new-look secondary. Even still, it's tough to imagine Georgia losing to the Cajuns—then again, the same was said about Michigan when they played Appalachian State—just saying.


So, what do I hope to see when the Bulldogs take the field on September 4th at 12:21 pm (EST) on ESPN3.com?...


1. How does the offensive line look?

This is the season that Georgia is going to depend on their offensive line to protect Aaron Murray and jumpstart the running game—which will be leaned on heavily to start.

However, if the 2009 version of this stellar 2010 unit shows up to play in game one—remember, the one that seemed to have trouble getting the needed push up front in short-yardage situations—be afraid...be very afraid.

2. Speaking of Murray...does he look comfortable?

The one thing that seemed to give Georgia fans some concern was the shell-shocked nature of Aaron Murray's play at G-Day. He equated it to jitters and being overwhelmed by the expectations of the fans, but if he thought playing in front of 40,000 fans who are all pulling for you was daunting, wait until he sees the 90,000 strong who have spent all summer hearing about what a tremendous young talent he will be for Georgia.

Expectations couldn't be higher for Murray than they are right now—is he ready to step into the spotlight and make it happen? Or will he fold under the glare of the national spotlight?


3. Who will emerge as the legitimate No. 2 wide receiver that can compliment A.J. Green?

If ever there were an opportunity for Marlon Brown to stake his claim to greatness, it's going to be in week one. He hasn't done much this off-season and, after an injury setback late in the spring, all anyone has heard about is Rantavious Wooten, Tavarres King, and Logan Gray.

However, Brown is the guy you hope to see come into his own this year (his size alone makes him an intriguing target) because you want to see A.J. have an opportunity to really bust loose this season—he can do a lot more damage if opposing defenses have to focus on more than just him.

4. How effective will the pass rush be?

I expect to see a lot more pressure on the quarterback this season. There were far too many games in 2009 where QB's were allowed to sit in the pocket or roll out to their left/right, and fire at will. That needs to stop.

Georgia cannot allow average quarterbacks to look like Heisman candidates this year.


5. Is the 3-4 jelling?

This is a biggie.

I expect to see some growing pains as players transition from running scrimmages and drills to actually implementing the concepts into a game. Even with that, there is still a level of competency that one will be hoping to see from this unit, against a lesser opponent, in that first game.

This game should be a tune-up, not a speed bump, of what we can expect to see this season. 



6. Hutson Mason?

Let's not kid ourselves here, Mason is the No. 2 QB at Georgia this season—barring a complete catastrophe. So, it stands to reason that if we are going to see what he has to offer, then this is the game to see it—right?

If things go as most fans hope, the game will be over by halftime and the second-unit (both offensive and defensive) will start getting its reps somewhere around the tail end of the third-quarter.

Mason is someone that we would like to see getting some time early—just in case—so that we can gain a better understanding of just how concerned we should really be–if at all.


7. Which newcomers are going to be special this season?

We all know about T.J. Stripling and Alec Ogletree. However, we'd like to see what Zander Ogletree can do on special teams—can he be special? Better still, how good is Logan Gray going to play at wide receiver?  All signs point to a good season for him there, if he can stay healthy—has he been in the wrong position all along?


Furthermore, what of Mike Thornton?  Garrison Smith? Derek Owens?...this is the game to see if they are could be something special at Georgia.

8. Fundamentals!


Last season, unfortunately, it wasn't uncommon to see poor tackling, bad angles taken on balls, big time lapses in coverage, and costly turnovers on offense. This offseason the coaching staff has taken a much tougher approach to stamping out that sort of play and, hopefully, it translates to a much more disciplined looking team on the field.

9. How well will the secondary play?

As mentioned briefly in the previous section, the secondary was a sore  spot last year—so many miscues and mistakes. They will definitely be something to look at in week one.

How well have the philosophies and teachings of new defensive backs coach, Scott Lakatos, sunk into his players?

Boykin, Cuff, Williams,Owens, Hamilton and Smith will all be called upon to make a difference this season, but the overall product will need to be the same—more consistency, less catastrophe.


10. Will this team be special in 2010?


Believe it or not, a true follower of any particular program can tell you after the first game is in the books, whether or not this is going to be a team that will win all season. The way they do so might not be scientific—typically it's a "gut feeling" or they "just know"—but it doesn't have to be; a well-coached team isn't hard to recognize.

If the Georgia Bulldogs are going to challenge in 2010, they will show their grit early and it will reflect on the scoreboard. This Cajuns team may be good but they are not better than Georgia and that message should ring loud and clear in the final score, in other words...it shouldn't be close.

Georgia Is The Seventh or Eighth Best SEC Team—Seriously?

It's always interesting to read an outside view of the Georgia Bulldogs' 2010 team because, as an admitted fan of the program, I tend to see things threw a less negative lens than others. However, even my lens can remain open to sensible criticism of the team—if that criticism comes from a place of intelligence and credibility.

That said, I recently read this article posted on a site called point-spreads.com and again felt compelled to take out my whooping stick to address some of the glaring issues with their viewpoint.

Below are a few of the thoughts expressed by the author and, as usual, my response:

"Getting a good feel on how the 2010 team might perform is a little more difficult. It is known through and around the SEC that head coach Mark Richt needs to produce a successful team or this could end up being his last year. "


Ya know, I'm getting a little weary of the chatter about this being Mark Richt's last year if he doesn't produce a good team. The 2009 version wasn't bad—just flawed—and it's mind-numbing to me how many people honestly feel that Richt's leash is that short at the moment.

Coach Richt has at least two seasons to get this team back on track—next season isn't do or die by any stretch.

"Of course no games have been played, but on paper it appears the Dawgs are a little overrated."

How on earth is Georgia overrated? Outside of some generous chatter by Phil Steele and a few pundits who actually like Georgia as an SEC darkhorse, most feel that the team is destined for the tank this season—mostly due to the lack of experience at quarterback and the youthful inexperience on defense within the new 3-4 scheme.

So, to say that Georgia is "overrated" is ridiculous. If anything, the team is underrated and undervalued by the vast majority.

"Still, we (Point-Spreads.com) see Georgia as the third best team in their division and seventh or eighth best in the SEC."

Wow. They see Georgia as the seventh or eighth best team in the league? Oh my, what the hell planet are these people on and how on earth do I get there (because I assume the drinks must be very good and awfully plentiful)?

This statement not only shows a complete lack of intelligence but makes me question their credibility as a sports betting site.

Seriously, this is the information you are disseminating to the public? Please, tell me what seven teams in the SEC are better than Georgia—aside from possibly Alabama and Florida?

Arkansas?...Uhhh, call me after that game is played in Sanford but, I don't think so.

LSU?...their coach has serious clock issues and their quarterback situation is laughable.

Ole Miss?...No

Vandy?...LOL

Kentucky?...Still laughing.

Mississippi State?...They need a quarterback...and a running back...and a defense...and a....oh please, stop.

Auburn?...Haven't we beat them four-years in a row—just saying.

Tennessee?...This could be a rebuilding year for them as well, not bad, but not better by any stretch.

So, again, what in the world are these folks talking about?

That statement is lunacy.

"For the Bulldogs to win the East they would need to out perform an improved South Carolina squad and still best Florida. Odds are based on gamblers perception and oddsmakers know they can get players to bite on Georgia's inflated odds."

Georgia is 8-1 against the Gamecocks over their last nine meetings. Nuff said.


"If any team in the SEC East is able to top Florida in 2010 it will probably be South Carolina, undervalued at +10,000 (100/1) odds."

(Scratching my head).

How is South Carolina going to beat Florida with 1) no running game , 2) an inconsistent quarterback, and 3) minus two of their biggest playmakers on defense—Clifton Geathers and Eric Norwood?

The Gamecocks aren't any more loaded than the next team, yet, they are suddenly anointed as the next kings of the SEC East? 

Give me a break.

The article goes on to say that Georgia could very well lose to both Arkansas and South Carolina—something I doubt very seriously.

I'll be so happy once this season starts because, if my hunch is correct, there will be a lot of people eating crow at the end of the year.

The SEC East Could Crown A New Champ in 2010—Will It Be Georgia?

"In the SEC, Florida will also go through a transition period as Tim Tebow can no longer be the savior. A number of other seniors from last year have moved on up as well. LSU should be ready for a rebound, but maybe not a BCS-type rebound while sportsbook odds makers probably won’t consider Georgia much of a BCS threat unless a quarterback quickly emerges." (FootballGamblingFreaks.com, 6/23/10). 


I read this statement and nearly laughed out loud as it's comical to me how much goodwill a national title grants you. Aaron Murray's inexperience aside, neither Florida nor LSU have a bonafide answer at quarterback in 2010.

John Brantley hasn't proven himself in an SEC contest—yet. The appearances he can tout to the Florida faithful amount to "garbage-time" blow-outs left for his pleasure by Tim Tebow. Not to mention, Florida lost more than half its offense to the NFL. Bye-bye Aaron Hernandez. Sayonara, Riley Cooper—so sad to see you go.

Furthermore, it matters little how phenomenal that 2010 signing class was, defensively, those guys haven't done a thing yet. Add to that, the man behind the plan—Charlie Strong—changed zip codes. If you don't think that matters—you are nuts.

So, when people just hand the SEC East over to the Gators simply because Urban Meyer is their coach and they've won it before, I find myself pausing a bit for station identification because—seriously—even Florida is bound to come back to earth a bit this season and that could mean a shift in the powers that be.

As for LSU, Jarret Lee and Jordan Jefferson combined make up one-half of a decent quarterback for the Tigers. LSU may have beaten Georgia last season but they too have lost a very significant chunk of their offensive production—including every significant carry in their running back corp.

In the West this year, it will be all about AAA—Alabama, Auburn, and Arkansas—LSU will not rebound nearly as well as most believe and that will have a lot to do with the lack of a running game to offset their schizophrenic production at quarterback.

In the East, South Carolina is a feared commodity but, honestly, until I see Steve Spurrier giving more love to his quarterback, no team in the conference should be skeered' of what he's bringing to the field. He's been shaky for the better part of his career and this offseason is showing that those shaky ways are far from over. I can't wait to see how he handles the expectations that have been placed on him this season—something that, prior to now, he hasn't truly had to deal with.

Either way, no matter what South Carolina does against Georgia, they will not win the East—there I said it. They have never won the SEC, have never had an opportunity to try, and without a running game they are no closer to doing either than the were ten-years ago.

South Carolina is cocky—not good. They are a .500 team wanting to be better and that will remain the case no matter what happens in Columbia this season.

Which brings me back to the original reason for this diatribe, this is a new season and there isn't a team in the SEC East that can boast enough experience at every spot to say they can or will win the division. 2010 is a crapshoot—despite what Dennis Dodd has to say.

Georgia may not have a proven quarterback when the first whistle blows but here's my no-holds take on the teams in the East who supposedly will:

John Brantley: He'll have time behind that line but who is he going to throw it to...no, really...who? There's not a receiver returning who will have any significant history of making an impact. Plus, other than Tebow, have the Gators really tried establishing a run-game? This IS the SEC, right? At some point, that cute little spread Urban runs will need some tweaking.

Stephen Garcia: Georgia helped make him relevant in 2009 but he's not done enough to warrant  much respect. After all, he's barely important to his own team so why should anyone else in the East care? Just saying...

Larry Smith: He and Warren Norman will be about as relevant as Rafael Belliard was for the Atlanta Braves—pity.

Matt Simms: Unless Tennessee is going to do something about their lack of an offensive line, running game, or defensive playmaker, no one will be worried about Simms leading the Vols anywhere—particularly not to another big win over Georgia in Sanford Stadium.

Kentucky: I intentionally failed to name their quarterback because, no matter who it is, he'll be irrelevant. Georgia did what no other SEC team could last season—make Morgan Newton look good. That lightning won't strike twice—trust me.

If Georgia plays even a modicum better in the secondary this season, they have a better than average shot of winning the East—not competing for it—winning. That's a fact.

So, all the disrespect they have gotten based on the nightmare defensive woes of last season need to go precisely where they make the most sense—the trash can—because this is a new team with a new plan. It's time people start to recognize that point and give Mark Richt and company something that only Phil Steele seems to want to—r-e-s-p-e-c-t.

73 days and counting, Dawg fans, are you ready to sic' em yet?