This guy doesn't need to be spectacular, just get the job done.
As the 2010 college football season gets ready to kick off practice on August 1st, UGA fans have reason to be both excited and nervous at the same time. It is no secret that the Bulldogs have underachieved the last two years. In 2008, the Bulldogs began preseason number 1 in the nation, only to finish with a loss to rival Ga Tech at home and playing on January 1st in the Capitol One Bowl.
In 2009, the Bulldogs struggled on both sides of the ball and finished with an overall record of 7-5 (4-4 SEC). They were embarrassed in Knoxville and in Athens against Kentucky on senior night.
However, after the 2009 season Mark Richt made some tough but necessary changes that have many believing there will be a turnaround in 2010. Lets take an in-depth look at some things to be excited and uncertain about this fall in Athens...
Excited
UGA has 10 of 11 returning starters on offense. The offensive line is rated by some as the number 1 offensive line in the country. They have played together for three years now, and have developed great toughness and chemistry. Also, the emergence of Caleb King and Washaun Ealey late in the season last year has fans excited about the running game this fall. And lets not forget about the best receiver in the nation, AJ Green (sorry Julio Jones).
Schedule
Georgia has a favorable schedule in 2010. No more LSU, no Alabama, and no extremely tough out of conference games. Now, Mark Richt shot this down when asked about their schedule being easier at SEC media days in Hoover, AL last week saying that there is no such thing as a favorable schedule in the SEC. While this does have some truth to it, I am not buying it. You can bet Richt is happy that he does not have to play Alabama in the west and that his freshman quarterback is not opening up at Oklahoma State this year. Look for Georgia's three toughest games to be at South Carolina, Arkansas at home, and of course in Jacksonville the last saturday in October.
Uncertainities
The First uncertainty about the 2010 season is obviously Aaron Murray. As I stated before, Georgia returns 10 out of 11 starters on offense. The one starter they do not return on offense happens to be the most important one...Quarterback. However, lets remember that Murray does not have to be spectacular. With the talent and experience of the offensive side of the ball around him, he just has to make the right decisions and put the ball in the right places. Think of Greg McElroy at Alabama last year. He was a first year starting quarterback in the SEC and Nick Saban didn't ask him to be spectacular. He just got the ball where it needed to go and stayed within himself and within the offense. In the national championship game, McElroy only threw for 60 yards! I see Aaron Murray's first year having many similarities with Greg McElroy last year. He also has more experience than many people think. He enrolled at UGA early and has had the oppertunity to play in two spring games. Not many freshman are as experienced as Murray will be this year. Lets also remember that this kid is a winner. He came back from a broken ankle in high school to lead his team to a state championship. Gutsy and tough kid.
Todd Grantham and the Defense
While many fans at Georgia are fired up about Grantham and the new defense, lets remember not to get too excited too quickly. We have to remember that this is a completely new system for UGA. From my experience and from watching many teams change coaches and put in new systems, it usually takes a year for the new system to get rolling. With that being said, it is hard to be much worse than UGA has been defensively the past two years. My prediction? I think the UGA players will begin to really grasp the new system in the middle of the season. Look for their defense to be peaking at the end of October and into November. Just in time for you know who in Jacksonville October 30.
Mark Richt
Yes unfortunately Mark Richt is a question mark this year. However, he is not a question mark to Georgia fans. It is kind of weird, because usually it is the fans that want the coach gone and the media tends to begin to agree with the fans after a while. However, in Georgia's case this off season, media members have predicted this to be Richt's last year while the fans have backed him up. After living in Birmingham the last 3 years, I would always listen to Paul Finebaum's radio show. For those of you unfamiliar with Finebaum, he is a very influential SEC media member who focuses on Alabama and Auburn but also covers the entire SEC. Last spring, Finebaum continuously predicted that this year would be Richt's last. He said numerous times that the UGA football program had gotten away from Richt and there was nothing Richt could do to repair the damage. He repeatedly said that Richt let go of Willy Martinez a year too late and that it would only be a matter of time before he is canned at the end of this season. To Finebaum's surprise, Georgia fans continuously called into his show to back and support Mark Richt. Fans called so much to support Richt that Finebaum began to think UGA fans were delusional. Was this because Richt is such a nice guy? Was this because maybe in Georgia the fans are not as passionate as they are in Alabama? Maybe. But I agree with UGA fans on this one. I think Richt is going to have a rebounding year and silence all the media critics. Richt is not oblivious. He hears this stuff, he knows people are saying he has lost his fire. And make no mistake about it, while it doesn't seem like he is on the outside, this man is as competitive as they come. Look for Richt to have a new fire and intensity in him in 2010.
While I am a Georgia fan and a little biased, I really do think there are good things in store for the bulldogs in 2010. I can't wait for September 4th. GO DAWGS!!
No comments:
Post a Comment