Happy Anniversary
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Happy Holidays everyone, as we approach 2020, let’s take a sleigh ride down memory lane. 2020 happens to be a huge anniversary year for the University of Georgia.
It is the 40th Anniversary of the Bulldogs last national championship. The 40th Anniversary is the Rudy Anniversary. Wow-it has been that long!
Let’s take a look at the 1980 Georgia Bulldog season. We will look at three key games that led to the National Championship.
Georgia opened the season in Knoxville, this was the Herschel Walker’s coming out party.
After falling behind 15-0, Herschel put the Bulldogs on his back. The key play was a simple pitch play, Walker took the pitch and proceeded to run over Bill Bates on his way to the end zone.
November 8th, according to most, is the most memorable football play in Georgia football history. “Run, Lindsay, Run” as the Bulldogs beat the Gators 26-21.
January 1, 1981, The Bulldogs jumped on Herschel Walker’s back to capture the National Championship. I remember the players carrying Vince Dooley off the field on their shoulders, Georgia fans storming the field and the smiling face of Herschel.
Players like Buck Belue, Lindsay Scott, Amp Arnold, Eddie “Meat Cleaver” Weaver, Tim Crowe Scott Woemer, Freddie Gilbert and many others made the 1980 season a once in a lifetime championship run for the Georgia Bulldogs.
It’s nice to sit back and reminisce about the glory days of Georgia football. That memory has remained once in a lifetime, at least after 40 seasons.
Yes, Georgia has come close a couple times to capturing another National Championship. The most recent was January 8, 2018.
Georgia played Alabama in the College Football Playoff Championship game in Atlanta; this game was an instant classic. The Bulldogs dominated the first three quarters of the game and led 20-10 entering the final period.
Alabama forced overtime by scoring 10 unanswered points in the fourth quarter.
Georgia’s offense stalled on their overtime possession and Rodrigo Blankenship kicked a 51-yard field goal to give the Bulldogs a 23-20 lead.
On the first play of overtime, Jonathan Ledbetter and Devin Bellamy sacked freshman quarterback Tua Tagovailoa for a 16-yard loss. The Georgia fans were celebrating.
On the next play, Tagovailoa found freshman DeVonta Smith for a 41-yard touchdown. Alabama captured yet another National Championship.
The victory was an Alabama triumph as much as it was a Georgia collapse.
Let’s take a stroll down that 40 year memory lane: Star Wars V; The Empire Strikes Back was the box office smash, Dallas and “who shot JR” was TV’s most popular program, Kenny Rogers “Lady” and Blondie “Call Me” were chart toppers, Jimmy Carter was President and the chants of USA, USA and “do you believe in miracles” rang through home in America as the USA Olympic Hockey team won the gold medal.
Kirby Smart has raised the bar for Georgia and it doesn’t surprise me that Georgia should push for the playoffs every season.
Vince Dooley, Herschel Walker, Buck Belue and company, let’s get together and Celebrate Your 40th Anniversary!
Tis’ The Season
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
As we find ourselves in the midst of the holiday season, and with the NFL regular season winding down, I figured I’d put on my giving hat and pass out what I hope each NFC South team is able to treat themselves to this offseason.
And much like the holidays, each team may not be getting exactly what they want, but they need to remember it’s the thought that counts.
For the Carolina Panthers, I bring them a new offensive line. The Panthers history of drafting or signing offensive linemen in free agency is like our experiences in Target or Wal-Mart.
We visit either store with the mindset of buying just one thing, but ultimately leave with our hands full of crap we don’t need. In the case of the Panthers they either don’t buy the one thing they want, or they wind up buying the generic version that’s cheaply made because they spent half their budget on those other items.
It doesn’t matter if they have Cam Newton, Kyle Allen, or Ronnie “Sunshine” Bass from Remember the Titans under center, if they don’t improve their offensive line, they won’t be Super Bowl bound anytime soon.
It may not be the area they need the most improvement in, but there’s a new running back under the tree for the Atlanta Falcons.
Look, I get what they’ve tried to do with Devonta Freeman and he’s had some success, but he’s not the answer in the backfield.
Realistic expectations for Freeman are caught somewhere between Darren Sproles and Christian McCaffrey, which is great when you need a change of pace, but not when he’s your featured back.
Sure, the Falcons could use a new head coach and some help on the defensive side of the ball, but a running back will help take some pressure off Matt Ryan, while possibly helping him extend his career a bit.
I’m not gifting anything to the Saints team, as much as I am one player; Drew Brees. And for Brees I’m giving him the chalice, and never-ending life, from “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”.
Tom Brady is receiving a lot of attention for his level of play at 42 years old, but Brees is only 2 years younger, has sustained more injuries, and I’d argue is playing at a higher level.
New Orleans proved they were still one of the NFL’s top teams with Teddy Bridgewater at quarterback, but there’s no substitute for what Brees means to that team.
More than likely, Brees only has a few more good years left, and I imagine Saints fans would do anything they could to keep him playing.
As for Tampa Bay, they’ll find a map in their stocking to help them figure out where the hell they’re going as an organization.
The Buccaneers have gone through head coaches this past decade like they’re a top tier, mid-major football program, only they’re firing them instead of losing them to better jobs.
It’s a toss-up as to whether or not their quarterback will throw for 400 yards or 4 interceptions in a game and there’s a distinct possibility both will happen.
The defense is inconsistent and basically, they are a team without an identity. The only downside is that most of the players in the NFL are too young to have ever had to use a map, so it may not quite have the desired result it was originally intended to have.
And like any good present, just in case they don’t like it, I’ll make sure to leave the receipt.
Turn The Page?
By: TJ Hartnett
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
There are really only two things that a fanbase can discuss at the water cooler when their pro football team is having a miserable season: potential upcoming draft picks and whether or not the coach should be able to keep his job.
That’s been the hot topic since it became clear that the Falcons weren’t going to turn their abysmal start into anything noteworthy: should Dan Quinn be fired?
The answer seems to have complicated itself as the Atlanta Falcons have managed to win back-to-back games again, bringing their win total over the past six games up to four (and, consequently, their draft pick slot number is rising). The main hole of the season and, really, of the last several years has been the defense.
They’ve seemingly righted their ship, helping Atlanta score road wins against the two best teams in the NFC in the Saints and the 49ers.
Maybe the players realized that they’d be subjected to a new head coach and coaching staff if they continued to tank for the rest of the season. Quinn has surely been on the hot seat for more than just this past season: his track record post-Super Bowl has been quite a disappointment.
This season may have just been the peak of how bad things could get for the Falcons.
The start of the season saw Matt Ryan get decimated and then culminated in a blocked punt, of all things.
Since then it’s been a parade of sloppy play and stupid penalties and post-game interviews about their rough start.
All of a sudden, the Atlanta Falcons, who have Ryan and Julio Jones and a host of other incredibly talented footballs players, were 1-7 to start the 2019 season. The team knew they weren’t making the playoffs before turkey was served at the end of November.
Is that Dan Quinn’s fault? The beginning of the season saw the both of Atlanta’s first round draft picks go down with injuries and after the defense coordination was reshuffled, they began to play at a significantly higher level.
Offensive coordinator, Dirk Koetter and his ineffective and sterile offense can be fixed; and it’s clear enough that the Falcons roster likes playing for their current regime.
Is that enough to justify keeping Quinn around for at least another year – another attempt to recapture that 2017 glory?
The thing is even with the cold start and the hot streak over the past six weeks, things haven’t looked all that different from the previous years of Quinn running the show and calling the shots.
The Falcons have always been streaky under him, dating back to his first season at the helm. The team started off hot as hell (going 4-0 to begin the campaign) but went 4-8 the rest of the way to finish at .500 in 2015.
Even their Super Bowl season in 2016 was streaky. The Falcons didn’t see a win streak longer than 4 games at any point (playoffs, obviously, excluded).
So, while wining 4 out of the last 6 may seem to indicate that things have turned around for the Falcons, it’s really more indicative of the same old, same old and that hasn’t gotten winning results lately.
Dan Quinn and Falcons had to have come into this season knowing that Quinn’s job was on the line.
Frankly, it’s a miracle he wasn’t fired midseason, after that dreadful 1-7 start. But just because he wasn’t doesn’t mean that a chance won’t be made once the season wraps up here shortly. And despite his successes and his reputation in the locker room – maybe it’s time.
The New Recruits
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The 2020 early signing period started this week with most of the nation’s top prospects signing their letters of intent for the school of their choosing. Let’s take a look at early grades for teams in our geographical region.
Clemson: A+. The Tigers on paper have the best signing class in the country. Dabo dipped into the state of Georgia and signed 6 players.
Clemson restocked along the offensive and defensive lines with 10 of their 23 signees coming into those position groups.
Headliner: Bryan Bresee: The DT from Maryland is the top-rated player in the country and comes into a position group at Clemson that has become an NFL pipeline.
Sleeper: Sergio Allen LB Fort Valley, GA: Allen is a baller and will be an All ACC player at Clemson. Great pickup by the Tigers.
Alabama: A. Another top 3 class by Nick Saban. Alabama just continues to reload year after year. Alabama restocked at defensive line by signing 6 players.
Headliner: Bryce Young: Young is the number one rated dual threat QB in the country and looks to be in line to replace Tua at QB.
Sleeper: Brian Branch S from Sandy Creek, GA looks to be another in the long line of great Alabama players at the safety position.
Auburn: A-. Gus recruited like a rock star during this cycle building off the momentum of the huge Iron Bowl victory.
Headliner: Tank Bigsby RB. Tank was the best running back in the state of Georgia this past season and when AU can run the football, championships follow close behind.
Sleeper: Marco Domio CB: AU needed help at corner and dipped into the JUCO ranks and found their man.
Georgia: B+. Kirby restocked the receiver room at UGA with some much-needed playmakers at the position by signing four, including flipping Jermaine Burton from LSU on signing day and dipped into Lakeland, Florida for burner Arian Smith.
If Kelee Ringo and Darnell Washington end up at UGA then this class becomes an A+.
Headliner: Kendall Milton the big RB from California is expected to come in and be the man if Swift goes pro.
Sleeper: Marcus Rosemy WR: This kid can take over games and just makes plays. That was something UGA was missing during key times in 2019.
Florida: C. The Gators should be a top 5 class every season due to being the flagship school in talent rich Florida.
Lakeland used to be a Florida stronghold but Clemson pulled 5-star RB Demarkus Bowman and UGA pulled 4-star burner Arian Smith right out of Florida’s backyard. The Gators did not address the RB position, which was much needed.
Headliner: Gervon Dexter DT: The Gators lost two key contributors on the DL and Dexter was a huge get for UF.
Sleeper: Joshua Braun OT: Huge pickup for UF flipping Braun from UGA after Sam Pittman took the Arkansas job. Braun will be a 3-4 year starter for Florida.
FSU: I for Incomplete. The Seminoles got a late jump into the pond after hiring Mike Norvell from Memphis to continue to fix the mess Jimbo left that gets blamed on Willie Taggart.
Norvell will get it done in Tallahassee but needs a couple of cycles to get FSU back on track.
Headliner: Demorie Tate CB: Tate is a cover corner at the place that produced Primetime and T-Buck. Tate will be a solid CB for FSU.
Sleeper: Lawrance Toafili RB: The Largo product will be a solid RB for FSU in the next three years. FSU has to get back to being more physical on offense.
Georgia Tech: B: The Jackets continue the process of rebuilding the roster away from the Paul Johnson dinosaur offense. It is still going to take time, but give Geoff Collins credit for pulling in a top 25 class.
Headliner: Jeff Simms QB. Simms is a dual threat QB from Sandalwood in Jacksonville and is just what the doctor ordered for GT. You can’t win without a good QB and GT found their man.
Sleeper: Bryce Gowdy WR. The Jackets signed 5 WR’s and Gowdy looks to be the leader of the position group that needs to transition the most while GT completes the roster overhaul.
Gateway Open
By: Mike Anthony
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Over the last year, ardent followers of college football were introduced to the transfer portal.
The creative name served to describe a new and more liberal process in which the NCAA facilitated student-athletes wishing to leave a school in which they are currently enrolled in hopes of landing at another school and playing the same sport.
Transfers are nothing new. While especially prominent in football and basketball, it’s never been world-shattering news for a player to begin his or her collegiate playing career at one school, only to move on to another. But the emergence of the transfer portal seems to have kicked the process into overdrive.
Whereas the process of transferring was previously a secretive method that involved third and fourth-party conversations that were rarely known by the public, the portal ostensibly makes the process of moving from one high-profile program to another akin to the offseason free agent frenzy of professional sports.
Initial reaction to the portal was pretty predictable. The multi-billion-dollar college sports industry is propped up by universities, boosters and media corporations that all have huge investments and stand to make even bigger profits off the success of 18-22 year old kids, who never see a cent of the money.
So, of course, those controlling entities have thrown plenty of negative opinions at a process that throws their assumed profits into flux.
All around the country, there have been cries of how there is no loyalty to schools on the part of athletes despite them accepting full scholarships.
There is also the widespread opinion that athletes aren’t showing any toughness or accountability, quickly leaving for another school if they don’t get their playing time right away.
Those complaints won’t stop anytime soon, but they are also the talking points of a side that is going to lose this battle.
Legislation has already passed paving the way for future collegiate athletes to financially benefit off of the use of their likeness, when their schools do the same.
The creation of the transfer portal is likely to be a similarly huge step forward for athletes, as it creates a sort of free agency for them despite several courts squashing attempts of college athletes to form any sort of alliance that could act in the same manner as players’ unions in professional leagues.
The transfer portal isn’t going to cool down anytime soon and for good reason.
Long gone are the days where someone has to be well into their professional career before society thinks he or she should be able to control the terms of their employment.
It’s plainly evident that millions of dollars of sales, marketing and promotion are firmly anchored to, and dependent upon, college kids.
And due to current regulations, those college kids are still smuggling extra food out of the campus cafeteria and depending on mom and dad for gas money to get home for the holidays, even if their face is flashing across your television screen on a College Football Playoff promo a dozen times each night.
The transfer portal isn’t an out for college athletes. It’s a long-overdue taste of just a little bit of sovereignty in a system that has never allowed it before.
The New Chief
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Florida State University finally got their man.
After striking out on no less than six other candidates, Mike Norvell was hired as the 11th full time head football coach at FSU.
Mike Norvell has spent the last four seasons as the head coach at Memphis, leading the Tigers to a record of 38-15. His .717 winning percentage is the highest in Memphis history.
Memphis is the 2019 American Athletic Conference champion. Norvell has guided Memphis to three straight conference championship games.
Norvell’s first move as head coach was to retain Odell Haggins as a key member of the football program. Haggins served as the interim coach after the firing of Willie Taggart.
Norvell is known as an offensive guru. Since 2016, Memphis has averaged 38 points per game and has ranked in the top third in the county every season offensive SP+ (SP+ is measured by equivalent points per play).
Just like the past two Seminoles coaches Jimbo Fisher and Willie Taggart, Mike Norvell calls the plays instead of his offensive coordinator. Norvell runs a spread offense, but he has shown the ability to adapt his offense to the team’s strengths.
Memphis is one of three FBS teams that have ranked in the top 15 nationally in scoring offense each of the last four years, along with Ohio State and Oklahoma.
Mike Norvell is walking into a Florida State program that has hit rock bottom. Florida State fans, boosters, and administrators have to give Norvell time to rebuild this proud program that Bobby Bowden built.
I understand that the Florida State Logo recruits on its own, but to become a program that competes for conference championships, you have to recruit on an elite level. The Seminoles are currently ranked 26th nationally and 5th in the ACC.
After the hire announcement, the Seminoles had five players decommit including four-star quarterback Jeff Sims. Norvell will need to address the offensive and defensive lines with JUCO or portal transfers.
The key to the Seminoles success in recruiting in the future is Norvell’s coordinator and position coach hires. He must hire coaches who have recruiting ties to Florida and Georgia.
Mike Norvell is an offensive minded coach, so who he hires on the defensive side of the ball will be critical to the program. Norvell hired Adam Fuller the former defensive coordinator at Memphis as the new defensive coordinator at FSU.
Florida State allowed 28.5 points per game this season and gave up 436 yards per game. The Seminoles allowed 42 points to Clemson, en route to a 45-14 blowout loss and in state rival Florida scored 30 points in the first half before thrashing the Seminoles 40-17.
Mike Norvell certainly wasn’t FSU’s top target, but he checks a lot of boxes when it comes to young head coach potential. Can he get it done at FSU?
We’ll see how Norvell does, but I hope he does well. College football is simply better when Florida State University is better.
The Last Team Standing
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The GHSA Championships are over and we have champions for each division. Let’s take a look at each one.
AAAAAAA Marietta 17, Lowndes 9: I said before the season started the Blue Devils are loaded with talent. Despite that, they lost two games during the season. Lowndes (14-1) was undefeated before the game and nationally ranked in the top 10.
Marietta scored all of their points in the first half. Five-star tight end Arik Bailey dropped a pass in the end zone before halftime and the Blue Devils had to settle for a field goal. Bailey had a big game with 11 receptions for 146 yards.
The season is not over though because they will play in the GEICO State Champions Bowl Series against Eastside Catholic from Sammamish, Washington.
AAAAAA Harrison 20, Allatoona 7: The No.2 Hoyas (15-0) converted two blocked field goals and an interception into 17 points and turned what otherwise had been a tight game into a win.
Both teams are from Cobb County and in the same region so this was a rivalry game. The two games against Allatoona were Harrison’s two closest games of the season.
The No. 7 Buccaneers, playing in its second state final in five seasons, finished 11-3-1.
AAAAA Buford 17, Warner Robbins 14: The win gave No.5 Buford (14-1) its 12th state championship and first since 2014. It marked the third straight season that No. 2 Warner Robins (13-2) has fallen short in the title game.
The game went to overtime and Jamarius Isaac got an interception on Warner Robbins first possession.
The Wolves ran two plays and advanced the ball to the 7 before calling on Hayden Olsen, who drilled the ball through the uprights for the winning 24-yard field goal.
AAAA Blessed Trinity 17, Oconee County 14: The Titans (14-1) won their third consecutive championship in a very tough game. Tailback Elijah Green, a North Carolina commit rushed 21 times for 203 yards and two touchdowns. Both scores came in the final two minutes of the first half.
Green’s most important carry may have been his last. On fourth-and-2 at the 6 late in the game, Green plowed off tackle for a first down, which enabled BT to run out the clock.
AAA Cedar Grove 21, Crisp County 14: The Saints (13-2) defended their 2018 title. This is their third championship in four years. This is coach Miguel Patrick’s first year, replacing Jimmy Smith, who became an assistant at Georgia State.
Running back Chavon Wright finished with 20 carries for 140 yards and two scores.
AA Dublin 42, Brooks County 32: The No. 5 Fighting Irish (14-1) won a slugfest without attempting a pass and scoring six rushing touchdowns spread across three running backs and their QB. This is Dublin’s first title since splitting AA with Charlton County.
A Private ELCA 33, Wesleyan 13: Behind the four-touchdown performance of running back Keaton Mitchell, the No. 3-ranked Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy Chargers won a record fifth straight state championship on Friday, a 33-13 victory over No. 5 Wesleyan in the Class A Private championship at Georgia State Stadium.
ELCA (13-1) became the first GHSA team to win five straight titles, breaking a tie with West Rome (1982-85) and Buford (2007-10). ELCA’s graduating class finished with a 54-2 record and the team’s record over the last five seasons is 65-5.
A Public Irwin County 56, Marion County 14: The Indians (13-0) won their first title since 1975. In six seasons coach Buddy Nobles, who is battling Stage 4 stomach cancer, has led the Indians to the state finals five times.
Coaching Carousel
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
When I realized earlier this year the SEC had no turnover within their head coaching ranks after last season, I reacted like you do when you get a perfect pump at the gas stations- I was caught by surprise, immediately told anyone around me what had transpired, and knew that it would be a while before it happened again.
So, while it was a nice story that no head coach lost their job, you knew a few wouldn’t be so lucky this time around.
Of the three coaching changes that have taken place, one you could see coming before the season even started (Arkansas), one made sense even though it wasn’t a foregone conclusion (Missouri), and the other seemed to take place in part due to a poorly timed, even though well executed, end zone celebration (Ole Miss).
Regardless of why any of the changes were made, the only thing that matters is “will their respective replacements be an upgrade?” That’s where things get a little more interesting.
If the adage about not hiring the same type of coach you just fired was ever engraved on a plaque, I imagine you’d see it placed sporadically throughout the hallways of the Ole Miss athletic facility.
In the span of three years the Rebels football team will have been coached by Hugh Freeze, Matt Luke, and now Lane Kiffin, who is basically Hugh Freeze on a steady diet of Red Bull, Jägermeister, and Birthday Cake Oreos.
As far as what Ole Miss can expect to see on the field, it’s a good hire. I think Kiffin is an above average coach, who will recruit well for the program.
The problem is you have no idea what’s going to happen off the field. It’s like driving 120 in a 35mph zone- it’s a great thrill ride, if you make it to the end, but more than likely you’re going to run off the road, drive head first into a tree, and die in a spectacular explosion. Welcome to the Lane Kiffin era, Oxford, I hope you have good airbags.
I can’t blame Eliah Drinkwitz for leaving App. State to go to Missouri- you can’t pass up a 400% raise in salary- but I do question why the Tigers are paying him that much ($4 million) to come to Columbia.
Drinkwitz was in the precarious situation in Boone where he inherited a very talented team and was able to lead them to a very successful season.
Was he the reason for the success, or just in the right place at the right time? Like most things, the answer is a mixture of the two, but that’s still an awful lot of money to pay a coach with one year of head coaching experience, especially when it didn’t seem like there was much competition for his services, outside of Missouri.
As for Arkansas, I don’t know much about Sam Pittman, except he seems to be popular among his peers and was an impactful recruiter at Georgia.
Pittman was the backup plan to the backup plan on the Razorbacks list of coaches, but it doesn’t matter how or why he got the job, only what he does with it now that he has it.
There may still be another coaching casualty after the bowl games, but for right now this is the new crop of SEC head coaches.
It may be a while before the conference goes a year without having any turnover; my bet is at least two of these coaches will be contributors as to why.
Braving Change
By: TJ Hartnett
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The month of December was an enormous one for Major League Baseball; or maybe it would be more accurate to say that it was an enormous month for Gerrit Cole, Stephen Strasburg, Anthony Rendon, and a few others.
Maybe it would be even more accurate to say that it was an enormous month for that most famous of sports agents, Scott Boras. Boras represents all three of the now very wealthy superstars I name dropped earlier.
Cole, Strasburg, and Rendon all signed huge deals with the New York Yankees, the Washington Nationals, and the Anaheim Angels, respectively. In the blink of an eye, three of the biggest free agents of the offseason are off the board.
Other recent signings have further put last season’s offseason turmoil in the rearview mirror; like Didi Gregorious and Zack Wheeler signing with the Philadelphia Phillies. Also, Yasmandi Grandal, the most highly sought-after catcher on the market, signing with the Milwaukee Brewers.
In Braves Country, these have seemed like disappointing signings. The Braves need pitching. Two of the best pitchers on the market are going elsewhere (technically, Strasburg is merely staying put, but you get what I mean).
The dreams of these superstars coming to play their home games at SunTrust Park (or whatever it’s going to be called) have been dashed.
Except, here’s the thing. The Braves were never going to sign any of those players. Certainly not the Boras clients.
I wanted Gerrit Cole, too. I really did. But even before he signed, I knew how unlikely it would be that the Braves were going to open their checkbook wide enough for him.
After his completely insane deal with the Yankees, I know there was no chance in hell he was ever coming here. Atlanta would never have been able to go anywhere near the NINE-year, $324 million contract that he inked with New York.
The Braves signed Cole Hamels to a one-year deal prior to the nearly billion dollars that was given away to Boras’ boys that week. Is that a thrilling, franchise-changing signing? It is not.
But it’s not nothing. It’s enough. Coupled with the massive and awesome bullpen reinvention the Braves have instituted, the Braves aren’t falling behind with the lack of a massive signings. Instead, they’re working with what they have and keeping option open.
For example, while Rendon was never a reasonable option, the Braves kept third base open for a Josh Donaldson return.
Regardless of whether or not the Bringer of Rain returns to Atlanta in 2020, the Braves has shown that they are not remaining passive in the offseason.
Whoever else joins the Braves next season will be joining a strong core of players, a core that was written off before 2019 for not making any big splashes in the offseason that year as well.
This team was already good.
In Kirby We Trust
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Once the Sugar Bowl contest with Baylor is complete on New Year’s night the Georgia Bulldogs will still be one of the elite programs currently in college football.
The reason why is Kirby Smart. I have heard a lot of criticism of Kirby Smart since the SEC title game loss last week to LSU and what we should be hearing is a huge thank you to a man who rescued a program that was going nowhere fast in 2015.
When Smart was hired in Athens the previous staff had not won an SEC title in 10 seasons. Georgia had lost two straight games to bad Florida teams, had gone 5-10 against UF under the previous coaching staff, was struggling against Georgia Tech with an OT loss in Athens in 2014, and scraped by with an OT win against Georgia Southern in 2015.
Georgia was known as a finesse team in the SEC that had talent in the skill areas but lacked the physicality to compete with the Alabama’s of the world as evidenced by an embarrassing 38-10 loss to Alabama at home in 2015 in a monsoon that could have been 56-10 on a dry field.
Georgia was a soft program that could not manage rosters, recruit elite level players and numbers along the offensive line. During Kirby’s first year in 2016 he had to bring in a graduate transfer from Rhode Island to start 12 games at offensive tackle due to poor roster management prior to his arrival.
When Kirby was hired, the fan base howled on social media about being a more physical football team, and UGA struggled in Smart’s first year and went 8-5 while he changed the culture in the Classic City.
The offensive line and defensive line became a focus on the recruiting trail, and UGA began the transition into becoming a physical football team and it starting paying off in 2017 with the first of three straight 11-1 regular seasons, with an SEC title and a blown coverage in OT costing UGA a National Championship.
Since 2017 when the transformation began UGA is 35-7 with three straight SEC East Titles, an SEC Title, and a Rose Bowl playoff win over Oklahoma.
The brand of football is tough, physical football, downhill run game and elite defense, and three straight top 3 recruiting classes. Isn’t that what the fan base asked for when he was hired?
So, now after back to back losses in the SEC Championship game to Alabama, which has been a dynasty since 2008, and LSU, who has a once in a generation type QB in Joe Burrow, people are raising concerns over a staff that is a perennial College Football Playoff contender? Have you people lost your minds?
I had a Florida Gator fan tell me UGA under Kirby is the second coming of Mark Richt. If that was the case then UGA fans would have watched Florida play LSU last Saturday.
Food for thought folks. Richt was 1-3 in his first four in Jacksonville. Kirby is 3-1 and UGA has physically whipped UF on the line of scrimmage over the last three seasons.
Now that we have that out of the way, we all know Jake Fromm had a tough year and the offense needs some tweaking, but Georgia is what you all wanted it to be under Kirby Smart. That is a team that imposes its will upon most others. You are not going to win every game, but he is winning 78% of the time.
The 43 wins in his first four seasons is most in school history over that span. Georgia will be a top 10 team in 2020 and a playoff contender.
The only folks wishing Kirby was on the hot seat reside in Florida, Lower Alabama, and North Avenue in Atlanta.
Enjoy these times Dawg fans, Kirby Smart has made UGA elite. Kirby will make the changes he needs to make this offseason. In Kirby we trust!
