College Football
Smart Extension?
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Before I get too deep into this, just let me say that I like Kirby Smart. As someone who thought Georgia could have gotten a better coach after they fired Mark Richt two years ago, Smart has proven me wrong, so far.
The job that he and his coaching staff did past season was one of the better coaching jobs in college football. His recruiting, which I had no expectations about, have been even more impressive.
That said, the timing and amount of Smart’s recent extension- which runs through 2024 at roughly $7 million annually- is a bit of a head scratcher to me.
I get this is the way things are generally done within college football now, overpaying to lock up the young coach, but it still seems a bit rushed.
Georgia feels like that kid we all new in high school; the one that was never allowed to go out and have a good time, so after a semester at college he comes home with blue hair, pierced nipples, and his tattoo artist girlfriend, Viper, whose free spirited ways really understands him at his core.
Basically, UGA’s fan base and administration have been yearning for national relevance for so long that when they finally achieved it their Facebook relationship status with Smart just went from “it’s complicated” to “married” after roughly the second date.
Again, I’m not saying Smart isn’t the right guy for UGA, but why that amount, now?
To me, if you’re giving a coach that type of extension, it’s for one of two reasons: He or she is entertaining offers from other schools. You are approaching the end of a contract and that coach has shown, either over a sustained period of time or with a championship, they are worth the money.
I can’t imagine there was serious consideration that Smart was looking for greener pastures, especially at this time of year. He’s a Georgia guy through and through and for as much as like to give UGA fans a hard time, there aren’t many coaching jobs better than the one in Athens.
As for the second reason, yes Smart led last year’s team to arguably the most exciting season Georgia has had in recent memory, but how many times have you seen a new head coach inject some much needed life into a program early on, only to fall back to the pack a couple years later. (I feel like this is a good time to mention how similar Smart and Richt’s first two seasons in Athens were, including it being their first head coaching job.)
As an outsider looking in, it just feels like a bit of a risk to do this now, as opposed to after this upcoming season. You’d not only have another year to evaluate Smart, but you can see how he handles being the coach of a team that has the bullseye on their back.
Plus, unless I’m wrong and Smart was actually looking elsewhere, you could probably afford to wait another year without fear of losing him.
But look, it’s not my money and as long as the administration, alumni, and fans feel good about it, God bless them and I hope it works out. I certainly don’t ever resent a coach or player for getting paid.
I will say this, if Kirby Smart ever wavered on what the expectations in Athens have been, it’s crystal clear now; you pay a coach $7 million a year to win National Championships, not just conference titles.
Spring Buzz
By: Kenneth Harrison Jr.
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Georgia Tech finished 2017 with a 5-6 record. It makes the second time in three years that the Yellow Jackets missed a bowl game and had a losing record. So, the logical thing for athletic director Todd Stansbury to do was give head coach Paul Johnson a two-year contract extension through the 2022 season.
This was the eleventh spring game in the CPJ era. One major change was made in an effort to get Tech back on track. Defensive coordinator Ted Roof was fired after the season and replaced by Nate Woody. The defense now runs a 3-4 scheme.
Only 8,500 fans showed up to watch. This could be because there are many things to do in Atlanta on a Friday night or the fan base is tired of coach Johnson. The Blue team beat the White team 21-14.
Several players sat out with injuries. Quarterback TaQuon Marshall did not play after showing up to the training room Friday morning with strep throat. Center Kenny Cooper suffered a lower-leg injury in last Saturday’s scrimmage that required surgery. Guard Parker Braun and offensive tackles Andrew Marshall and Jake Stickler also were out, Marshall for the entirety of the spring.
Defensive end Desmond Branch missed the scrimmage to attend his brother’s wedding in New Mexico. Likely starting safeties A.J. Gray and Jalen Johnson were out all of the spring with injuries.
Freshman quarterback Tobias Oliver led the white team and redshirt sophomore Lucas Johnson led the blue team.
After a slow start, Johnson drove the Blue-team offense on touchdown drives of 70, 74 and 55 yards, along with a field-goal drive of 54 yards. He was 5-for-17 with one touchdown and one interception. He had completions of 53, 33 and 35 yards and finished with 143 yards.
I think the low completion percentage (29%) is a problem. I know Johnson is competing for the backup position but this has been an issue under Johnson. For instance, last season’s starter TaQuon Marshall completed 37.1% of his passes. Johnson has failed to develop and intermediate passing game since coming to Atlanta. It seems like every pass play is a long down field pass.
Senior A-back Clinton Lynch looked like he returned to his old form. He had 28 yards on three carries and 33-yard touchdown reception. Lynch failed to reach the end zone as a junior after scoring 16 touchdowns as a freshman and sophomore.
The defense played fairly well, led by linebacker Brant Mitchell with five tackles for loss, contributing to eight total for the Blue-team (first-string) defense.
“We blitzed like crazy (Friday),” Mitchell said with a smile.
It was only a scrimmage so we have to take the defensive performance with a grain of salt. The first-string defense had nine tackles for loss in last year’s spring game and went on to record 4.3 per game last season, lowest in the ACC. The first-string offensive line was also missing two starters.
“You’ve got a good nucleus back,” Johnson said. “I mean, we’ve got nine starters coming back on offense. Defensively, if we can create some negative plays and get some sacks, get off the field, who knows?”
There is not a lot to be optimistic about as a Georgia Tech fan but hopefully they are on the right path to get back to a bowl game in 2018.
Dawgs’ New Tricks
By: Jason Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Gone are Sony Michel, Nick Chubb and Roquan Smith, Georgia’s best three players. All three will find themselves in the NFL very soon.
Despite losing those key pieces from last year’s run at a National Title, there are some familiar faces returning to the Georgia Bulldogs that were put on display during the annual Spring Game in Athens, G-Day.
Georgia fans will get to watch Jake Fromm return at QB, D’Andre Swift come back as the featured tail back in the 2018 season. UGA faithful will also get to see newcomers like Justin Fields, the number one QB in the country at the high school ranks last season.
Coach Kirby Smart took his team through the dog walk leading into Sanford Stadium to begin one of the most anticipated seasons in Georgia Football history and it all starts with G-Day.
A crowd of over 80,000 showed up to watch the Bulldogs spring scrimmage. In the game the Black team defeated Red team 21-13.
The Black team opened the scoring with a Deandre Baker pick-6 of Jake Fromm. A good sign from UGA’s secondary as most are predicting it will be the weak link for the Bulldogs in 2018.
Justin Fields was put in display for the fan base to see and he did not disappoint. Fields went 18-33 for 207 yards and a TD. He also did throw an interception.
Jake Fromm also put up decent numbers, going 19-38 for 200 yards and a TD. Fromm did end up throwing two interceptions.
Former Pierce County QB Stetson Bennett also out together an eight-play drive that covered 64 yards and ended with 3 points.
Georgia LB, Monty Smith had a great day. Smith ended up with 14 tackles and a sack. Smith will have big shoes to fill as most expect him to replace Roquan Smith at LB.
Overall, the Georgia defense had 4 interceptions. Baker, Richard LeCounte, William Poole and KJ Smith each intercepted a pass. The secondary will need to continue to be that opportunistic when the season starts on September 1.
The Bulldogs will open against Austin Peay at Sanford Stadium. Georgia will have to go to South Carolina on September 8th, host Tennessee on November 29th, go to LSU on October 13th, travel to Jacksonville to take on the Gators on October 27th, host Auburn on November 10th and then close the regular season out with in state rival, Georgia Tech coming to Athens.
The Bulldogs will also be looking for some help at WR. Coach Smart noted the wide receiver corps had a ton of drops in the Spring Game. Terry Godwin and Calvin Ridley look to step up for Georgia in those roles.
Georgia will still be tough to beat in the SEC East and I look for this team to at least make a return trip the SEC Title Game.
A Seminole Spring
By: Kenneth Harrison Jr.
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The college football season has been over for a few months already. This time of year, is pivotal because of spring practice.
Newer players get valuable reps and establish confidence before fall camp. One program that is taking spring very seriously is Florida State.
Former head coach Jimbo Fisher was there from 2010 through 2017. During that span, he won a national championship and had a 29-game winning streak. He also coached Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Jameis Winston. Fisher left FSU to become the head coach at Texas A&M.
He was replaced by Willie Taggart in December. Taggart’s previous head coaching stops were at Western Kentucky, South Florida and Oregon. He was only at Oregon for one season and led the Ducks to a 7-5 record. He did spend four years at South Florida so he has experience recruiting Florida players.
Seminole fans were very excited for the spring game and showed up to support the team. 60,934 fans attended, which is the biggest spring game crowd in 2018. That’s more than Miami’s average attendance for home games in 2017.
“That was a very impressive crowd for a spring game. Lot of energy in there and kind of gave us a preview of what’s it going to be like that first ballgame,” FSU head coach Willie Taggart said. “I told the team in the locker room our fans showed them how much they appreciate us. Now it’s on us to take care of our business this offseason, get better so we can go out and show them how much we appreciate them.”
FSU’s spring game saw players challenging each other with a good mix of skill players. This skewed what the product on the field looked like.
There might be a quarterback controversy brewing. Deondre Francois was the starter in 2016 but he got hurt in the 2017 opener against Alabama. True freshman James Blackman stepped in and threw for 2,230 yards and 19 touchdowns. Francois is still rehabbing his knee so he did not play in the spring game.
Blackman went 16-of-32 for 259 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions. The numbers may not sound very impressive but his team only had one scholarship receiver. He seemed comfortable in the offense and showed off his strong arm.
The game’s other starter, redshirt freshman Bailey Hockman (11-of-22, 203 yards, one touchdown), improved as the game wore on but missed too many open throws.
Running back looks to be a very deep position. Redshirt freshman Khalan Laborn was a five-star recruit in the 2017 class. He ran for 140 yards, including a 91-yard touchdown run. Cam Akers led the team in rushing last season as a true freshman with 1,024 yards and 7 touchdowns. Laborn may not take the starting spot from Akers but he should contribute heavily in the run game.
Another redshirt freshman, wide receiver Tamorrion Terry had a great game. He’s 6’4 so he is a big target. He had 5 catches for 129 yards and a touchdown.
Two young players were impressive on defense. Blue-chip defensive back, Jaiden Woodbey looked like FSU’s top incoming recruit, recording a game-high nine tackles plus a sack for Gold.
Linebacker DeCalon Brooks — a Gaither High alumnus and the son of former FSU/Bucs star Derrick Brooks — had seven tackles and a sack for Garnet.
The offensive line looked like the weak link of the team, giving up 12 sacks. The caveat is at least two potential starters (Alec Eberle and Cole Minshew) were out with injuries.
Auburn Spring Game
By: Kenneth Harrison Jr.
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Auburn is one of the traditional powers in college football. The Tigers had a great 2017 finishing 10-4 and 7-1 in the SEC. They beat both teams that played in the national championship game, Georgia and Alabama. They did lose the rematch with UGA in the SEC Championship. They also lost the Peach Bowl to UCF.
Star running back Kerryon Johnson declared for the NFL Draft after the season. Auburn will have to replace his 1,391 yards and 18 touchdowns.
One positive going into the 2018 season is they have finally found another quality quarterback to run Gus Malzahn’s offense in Jarrett Stidham. Stidham completed 66% of his passes for 3,158 yards and 18 TD’s. He did not play in the spring game.
In the A-Day game defense dominated. Auburn’s first-team defense held the second-team offense to minus-five yards in the first half and the quarterbacks combined to go 15 of 39 for 90 yards.
“We’re going to be top 10 this year,” defensive end Marlon Davidson said. “We’re going to be top 5; maybe even top 1. That’s how we feel. That’s how we’re going to carry it.”
I’m trying to not believe the hype. I think the defense can be very good but defense typically dominates the offense in spring or early in the season. It is worth noting that the Tigers have vastly improved over the past two years under defensive coordinator Kevin Steele.
In 2017 they had their best year in pass and total defense since 2008. Auburn ranked 12th in scoring defense and 14th in total defense last season and has ample depth returning, particularly in the front seven.
“Our pillars for success is that we want to be relentless in pursuit,” Steele said. “Effort is being coached at a high level on every day, on every play. Effort is an eraser. When somebody makes a mistake, effort will erase a mistake. Then we’ve worked really hard on physical fundamentals, being physical with your fundamentals. So, really, really good in fundamentals. And then, of course, tackling. We’ve done a lot within the framework of how much you can tackle. So, the proper tackling technique.”
The defense constantly pressured Auburn’s two younger quarterbacks, forcing several interceptions from Malik Willis and Joey Gatewood. They also forced fumbles from several players.
On A-Day, Nick Coe led a defensive line unit that combined for 6.5 of 11 tackles for loss, including two sacks, one from Coe, which led to a safety.
“Our defense has a chance to be really good,” Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said. “… I think we’ve got some quality depth upfront. We’ve got quality depth at the linebacker position too. I know coach Steele’s focus was on the backend, putting all the pieces to the puzzle. I think overall they’ve done a very solid job.”
The final score was Orange: 18, Blue: 10. My takeaway is that Auburn is expecting to have a great defense in 2018 and I think that is realistic. I don’t put a lot of stock in the A-Day defensive performance though because they did not face their first team quarterback.
We will see if they can live up to their potential when the season begins September 1st versus Washington in Atlanta.
Paul Johnson Still Buzzing
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
It seems like nowadays, coaches in general, are relieved of their duties for various reasons- not winning enough games; thinking the university or franchise can find someone better; arguing that Creed is the greatest rock band of all time- you know, the normal.
So, it’s nice to see a program like Georgia Tech reward head coach Paul Johnson with a contract extension, when he could just as easily have been fired for two of the reasons I just mentioned. (I admit I am unfamiliar with Johnson’s stance on Creed)
On the surface, when most athletic directors don’t care about anything a coach has accomplished outside of the past 3 years, it’s a little perplexing to hear of a director actually extending the contract of a coach whose record over the past three seasons has been 17-19.
In this particular case, I applaud Tech’s athletic director, Todd Stansbury, with looking past just the last three years when making this decision.
For one, while Johnson’s teams have struggled in 2 of the past 3 seasons- his 2 worst seasons he’s had at Georgia Tech- overall, he has been very successful.
Since arriving in Atlanta in 2008, the Yellow Jackets have finished either 1st or 2nd in the Coastal Division six times. Yes, those happened during the first seven years, but combine that with Johnson’s history before arriving at Tech and it’s clear the ‘15 and ‘17 seasons were the aberrations.
With the exception of those two seasons- those teams only won 3 and 5 games, respectively- Johnson has also led Georgia Tech to a Bowl game every other year, including the Orange Bowl, twice.
I realize if you’re a fan of a team like Georgia or Florida State, you would have a different view of that “success”, but at Georgia Tech that should be acceptable.
I don’t mean that as an insult to Yellow Jacket fans, but as long as your team is competing for divisional titles, with the occasional shot at a playoff appearance, you should feel good about where your program is at.
I also like the extension for financial reasons. I don’t know what his salary will be for those extra two years, but Johnson is scheduled to make a little over $3 million in 2020 and I can’t imagine it would be much higher than that.
That’s not chump change by any stretch but there are plenty of coaches making at least that if not more, many within the ACC alone who don’t have nearly the accolades Johnson has. So far, Tech has gotten a pretty good return on their investment.
Plus, and I realize this only really matters when teams are winning, it seems like Johnson runs a fairly clean program. Very rarely do you hear of his players getting into trouble. And even the one time I do remember (Demaryius Thomas receiving impermissible benefits totaling $312) it was more of a bad look on the NCAA than it was GT.
Again, I know this type of integrity isn’t important with all coaches (hey Hugh Freeze, what have you been up to?), but it does seem like it legitimately matters to Johnson and the university.
This could all change if the Yellow Jackets stumble to a 4-8 record this upcoming season. But for now, it’s nice to see a coach be rewarded for his entire tenure and not just the last few years, regardless of what his musical tastes may or may not be.
The Big Boys Play Here
By: Kenneth Harrison Jr.
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The 2018 National Signing Day was earlier in the month. Now we know how each of your favorite teams did. Let’s look at the SEC recruiting classes. There are 9 SEC Schools with top 20 recruiting classes.
Surprisingly, Georgia tops the list. The Bulldogs almost won their first national title since 1980 and that success on the field is translating in recruiting. Out of the 26 recruits signed there are seven 5 stars and fifteen 4 stars.
Quarterback Justin Fields headlines the class. He was the #2 overall recruit in the nation and he’s a dynamic dual threat.
Fields is 6’3, 221 pounds and I expect him to gain another 10 pounds once he arrives in Athens. He will be sitting behind Jake Fromm for at least the next two years but we will see how that plays out.
UGA is becoming Running Back U over the past decade, so of course they signed another stud in Zamir White. He was the top ranked RB in the country and #9 national recruit. I expect him to step on campus and rush for a thousand yards immediately.
Alabama’s class was ranked 6th which is the worst it’s been since Nick Saban’s first year in 2007. The Crimson Tide are coming off of another national championship but I think their nervous about Georgia’s success. Bama only signed 19 recruits, two 5 stars, twelve 4 stars and five 3 stars.
They struggled on defense the last two years and they heavily addressed the defensive line. Eyabi Anoma is the 4th ranked national recruit and #1 defensive end.
Stephon Wynn also signed and he’s the 3rd ranked defensive end. The pass rush should be lethal in Tuscaloosa for the next few years.
The other five-star recruit is the best cornerback, Patrick Surtain Jr. If you recall his father played in the NFL, most notably for the Miami Dolphins. Clearly, Surtain Jr. has the pedigree to be successful.
Auburn’s class is ranked 12th but they don’t have any 5 star recruits.
They have sixteen 4 stars and eight 3 stars. Auburn is an interesting program because they have trouble sustaining a high level of success on the field. The Tigers normally have a breakout season every 4-5 years. Maybe this class will provide stability and help them build on their 2017 season.
One notable signee is defensive tackle Daquan Newkirk from East Mississippi Community College. If you watch Last Chance U then you’re familiar with that program.
Newkirk originally was in the Tigers 2016 class but his academic status forced him to go to community college. At 6’3, 282 pounds and two years of playing experience I expect him to be a key contributor in 2018.
“[Auburn’s commitment was] very important because through my journey a lot of schools turned their back but Auburn didn’t. That’s very special to me,” Newkirk said. “As you can tell no one really knows about me. Every time I got offered by a big school I didn’t post it on Twitter. I was just a humble guy throughout my whole process.”
Florida is ranked 14th which is impressive considering they did not hire new head coach Dan Mullen until November 26, 2017.
They signed several four-star recruits on offense, which has been weak for several years. Some of the signees are receivers Jacob Copeland, Justin Watkins, running back Dameon Pierce and tight end Kyle Pitts.
LSU is ranked 15th, Texas A&M 17th, South Carolina 19th and Tennessee 20th. That means we can expect to see some very good games over the next 3-4 years.
Top Dawgs
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Yes, it has almost been a month now since the most heartbreaking loss in UGA football history in the National Title game to Alabama. The pain for die hard UGA fans may never go away, but honestly the Dawgnation did not honestly expect to be in this position in year two of the Kirby Smart era.
Most insiders around Athens are saying the 2017 Dawgs are just the tip of the iceberg as the talented roster continues to grow with 6 Five Star prospects alone coming into the program.
Looking back on a fantastic 2017 season the SEC and Rose Bowl Champion Bulldogs had some talented players that will earn many pay days in the NFL.
Let’s take a look at some draft prospects for a few of those players.
Roquan Smith: Simply put Smith is the best linebacker to ever roam the sidelines in Athens. He is fast and his football instincts are off the chart.
Plug in the Georgia Tech tape from last season and you will see how one man can stop the triple option and how you run sideline to sideline, which will have NFL scouts camping out in Athens until draft day.
Smith is a special talent and should go as a top ten pick in the first round of the upcoming draft. I have Smith going at #10 to the Oakland Raiders who will be moving to Vegas soon.
A lot of Roquan Smith jerseys will be purchased by Raider Nation. In my opinion the only player from last year’s team that is irreplaceable in Athens. Smith was a generational talent.
Nick Chubb: Chubb will always be a favorite in Athens because of the way he overcame that horrific knee injury in 2015 and battled back and became the SEC’s second leading rusher of all time behind the GOAT whose name I won’t mention in this article but he wore #34 in Athens.
Chubb will impress at the combine with his strength and will be a solid NFL running back. I expect Nick to go in the second or third round to a team like the Lions that need a solid back who can run between the tackles.
Sony Michel: The versatility is what makes Sony special. Dawgnation would be wearing Natty shirts right now if Sony would have been used more in the second half of the title game.
Michel can catch the football and at 215 pounds can run inside or outside. Sony will be a fantastic pro. I think Michel goes in the second round to a team like Packers, Bears, or Bucs that need infusions of talent at the RB position.
Lorenzo Carter: Who doesn’t need an edge rusher in the NFL? Carter is long and fast and will carve out a fine NFL career. His speed will shock people at the combine and he has first round talent and could move up high on many teams draft boards.
Carter will probably go in the second round. Carter came back for his senior season and the blocked Rose Bowl FG in OT puts Carter in the all-time UGA highlight reel.
SEC Stocks
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Have you looked at your 401K plan lately? The stock market is at an all-time high. Let’s take a look at the SEC Football Stock report currently.
Alabama: Hold. Good blue chip producing stock that is the best investment out there. It’s at the top of its value so there’s not much upside but the dividend pays well. Best CEO in the business. Been a top producer for over a decade now. How long will the current CEO stay hungry/motivated?
Arkansas: Buy for now. This Company has seen better days and former CEO ate up all of the profits. New CEO is on board with expansion into the Texas marketplace as his first priority.
Auburn: Dump it. Rollercoaster stock that could go up or down based on some key indicators. Downturn is likely because this company has the most overpriced CEO in the business. This company has a Sears/Kmart mentality.
Florida: Buy. Been a tough down cycle of late, but this is a bargain currently. New executive team comes from a lower-tier company that performed very well in a tough market. This stock will rebound quickly and be a top producer once again. New CEO must find a new chief operations officer quickly during this recruiting cycle.
Georgia: Buy it in droves. They are Amazon and Facebook a few years ago. High upside with an Alabama type CEO, but a solid business model that has been underperforming for almost 40 years and it’s bound to stay on top after earnings went through the roof in 2017. Gobble it up.
Kentucky: Sell. Other divisions are performing well, but this brand has never gained a foothold in the market. The March division manager needs to share his SOP’s with the entire brand.
LSU: Sell. CEO is in way over his head. Traditional producing stock, but time will tell if this CEO has it in him to get shareholders on board and happy. Sell now, and gobble up down the road when the board decides it is time for a CEO change.
Mississippi State: Sell. Old CEO got hired by a Fortune 500 company. New CEO has no CEO experience in a tough environment that is hard to produce in.
Ole Miss: Dump it. The Security and Exchange Commission is investigating this company and has handed out early fines, but once you violate the public trust turnaround will be difficult. Gordon Gekko has been hired as a consultant during this rough transition. Money never sleeps you know.
Mizzou: Dump it. Why this company is publically traded is beyond me. This company needs to geographically relocate where overhead and labor costs are cheaper so they can compete.
South Carolina: Buy. This stock is on the rise once again. Up and down historically, but buy it now. New CEO has laid down the law to employees. Be ready to sell at any time though.
Texas A&M: Buy. New CEO brought in at $75 million from another Fortune 500 company, and the cash reserves in this company are outstanding. New CEO will move this company into the top tier of revenue producing companies within 2-3 years. Load up now.
Tennessee: Hold. This stock has bottomed out and has nowhere else to go but up. Once the best in the business in the 1990’s, but Bill Clinton has been gone for almost 20 years now. This stock can’t stay down forever. First time CEO may or may not be the answer. Hold it now because it is only worth a penny.
Vanderbilt: Hold. This stock holds its value quite nicely. Hold what you have but don’t invest in more of it.
Don’t forget to compensate me for the advice if you decide to invest in one of these stocks with huge upside.
Georgia Is Next
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Imagine the following, what if I told you in August that Georgia would win the SEC East in 2017? Most die-hard Dawg fans coming off of an 8-5 season would have taken that in a heartbeat.
What if I told you Georgia would win their first SEC title since 2005 against rival Auburn? You would have said oh my goodness, yes.
What if I told you UGA would make the College Football Playoff and beat Oklahoma in a classic Rose Bowl and play for a National Title? You would have said I am crazy.
UGA did all of this in 2017 and came up three points short against Alabama in OT; the same Alabama team that many picked to win the Natty in the preseason.
So, what is next for Georgia? Fact is UGA is ahead of schedule. Coming off a 13-2 season in year two of the Kirby Smart era, the Dawgs are way ahead of schedule.
This UGA team reminds me of Alabama in 2008 in year two of the Saban era; then the Tide took off in year 3 and have won 5 National Titles in 9 years. I’m not saying UGA will go on that kind of run but a national Title will come to UGA within the next 2-4 years.
Here is what is next for UGA:
Recruiting: Georgia currently has the number one class in America and Kirby is the best recruiter in the business.
UGA needs to use all of this national exposure to its’ advantage and Kirby needs to continue to work his magic on the recruiting trail.
Smart has built a fence around the State of Georgia and Alabama, Auburn, and Florida are not coming into the State and cherry picking top talent anymore.
Strength and Conditioning: Alabama wore the Georgia offensive and defensive fronts down in the 4th quarter of the title game because they were bigger and stronger. Georgia has made huge strides in this area since Smart has arrived but Dawgs are not quite there yet.
Develop Justin Fields quickly. With Jacob Eason leaving for the University of Washington the Dawgs must get Fields ready quickly to back up Jake Fromm.
Fields is the number one rated QB in America and he enrolled early so he should be ready to play in 2018.
UGA must get better at CB. Mel Tucker needs shut down corners to run his system. UGA gave up too many deep balls in 2017.
The Dawgs must start using their Tight Ends again. Did a TE have a catch in the National Title game? This area must develop to improve the passing game.
Georgia just finished an outstanding season and will be the SEC East favorites along with South Carolina in 2018. The SEC slate will be tough playing all of the east rivals and LSU and Auburn from the west. The Dawgs travel to Death Valley in Baton Rouge in 2018, which will be no picnic.
The 2018 Dawgs will be Jake Fromm’s team and Fromm will be the leader and face of the program. The kid is a gamer and will continue to get better with Fields coming in to push him. Georgia will miss Nick Chubb, Sony Michel, and Roquan Smith if #3 decides to turn pro.
What is on the horizon for UGA football is a magic carpet ride of SEC Titles and maybe a Natty or two with these studs Kirby keeps landing in the Classic City.
The future is so bright for UGA football that you need a brand-new pair of shades to see it all. Kirby Smart is just flat out getting it done in Athens, Georgia.
