Kipp Branch
You Can’t Spell Sugar Without UGA
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The 5th ranked Georgia Bulldogs playing shorthanded at key positions and out hustled, out hit, out coached and out played the 7th ranked Baylor Bears in a 26-14 victory in the 86th annual Allstate Sugar Bowl.
The Dawgs led 19-0 at the half, but Baylor came out and scored a couple of second half TD’s. However, as they have most of the season, the UGA defense took over the contest in the 4th quarter and Georgia finished off the Bears to finish 12-2 on the season.
The UGA senior class finishes their career with a 44-12 record which ties for most wins in school history with an SEC Championship, 3 straight SEC East Titles, wins in the Liberty, Rose, and Sugar Bowl, a college football playoff appearance, and a national title game appearance.
Observations from the Sugar Bowl win over Baylor:
1.George Pickens is a superstar in the making.
The freshman WR tied a Georgia record for receptions in a bowl game with 12 for 175 yards and a TD.
Pickens gave the Baylor secondary fits all night long pumped some much needed life into the UGA passing game.
Pickens now will be the leader of a talented wide receiver group going into 2020 that goes from a weakness in 2019 to a team strength in 2020.
Remember this point next fall when you hear teams like Florida making excuses because they lost their top 4 wide receivers from 2019.
2.The UGA coaching staff out-coached the Baylor staff.
The naysayers criticize Kirby Smart’s coaching abilities, by hurling veiled back handed compliments lauding Smart’s recruiting abilities, but saying he is not a good game day coach.
Georgia was better prepared and better motivated than a Baylor squad that has a head coach linked to current NFL openings.
Kirby Smart is now 8-4 against top 10 teams in his 4 years at UGA.
You don’t just throw 4-5 star recruits on the field and say just freelance and conquer. You have to coach them up. Give Kirby Smart some credit for being an all-around pretty good football coach.
3.The 2019 UGA football team became the fifth team in school history to win 12 games or more in a season.
Kirby Smart has coached two of those five teams in four years. Never let facts stand in your way on a good internet troll attempt, right?
4.You got a pretty good sneak peek at the 2020 defense in the Sugar Bowl. Did you like what you saw? The rest of the SEC did not, and trust me they were watching.
5.Zamir White, once fully recovered from back to back ACL injuries, will be in beast mode in 2020.
6.Georgia arrived in New Orleans missing 12 players that started a game at one time or another in 2019. Including three starting offensive lineman, two All-SEC players on defense and did not seem to miss a beat against an 11-win Baylor team.
Recruiting and roster management is an essential component in being a quality football coach.
UGA is now, annually, a legitimate contender for a spot in the college football playoff.
The 2019 Georgia Bulldogs won’t be remembered for style points during this 12-2 season. They will be remembered as a tough, physical football team that beat Notre Dame at Sanford Stadium, got upset at home by South Carolina, lost the SEC title game to a generational QB in Joe Burrow and LSU, won the SEC East and beat Florida for the third straight year, while holding them to 21 yards rushing, and last but not least the 2019 Dawgs will be remembered as your 2020 Sugar Bowl Champions.
Always remember you can’t spell sugar without UGA.
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.
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!
Lump Of Cole?
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Braves continued with a dazzling array of off-season moves with the addition of LHP Cole Hamels.
Hamels signed a one year $18 million dollar deal this week. Hamels, who will be 36 years old on opening day, has been in the major leagues since 2006.
Cole Hamels will try to help the Braves get over the hump. The Braves won the past two division crowns, but haven’t yet managed to translate that success into the postseason.
Hamels will step in for Dallas Keuchel as a durable veteran, who has ‘been there and done that’ plenty of times over a long and prosperous career. Keuchel let the Braves down in the 2019 Postseason.
Following a long and successful run in Philadelphia from 2006-15, he was traded at the deadline to the Texas Rangers in a blockbuster that involved eight players, mostly prospects.
He was a summer trade target again, three years later, when the Cubs acquired him from Texas for three more players in July 2018.
He’s been a reliable member of Chicago’s rotation ever since, making 27 starts for the organization in 2019 and holding a 3.81 ERA and 4.09 FIP in 141.2 innings.
It was the 12th season of his career in which he was worth at least 2.5 WAR. Hamels was the 2008 World Series MVP for the Phillies, leading them to their first World Title since 1980. Hamels has a career record of 163-121 with a 3.42 ERA and a 7-6 postseason record with a 3.41 ERA.
This is the latest addition for the Braves, who have already added some nice pieces before the Winter Meetings even launch.
Hamels isn’t the top-of-the-rotation arm he once was, but his addition doesn’t rule out other moves. At this stage in his career look for Hamels to be a solid #2 or #3 starter in the Braves rotation in 2020. Now the focus moves to resigning Comeback Player of the Year Josh Donaldson at third base.
Is a 36-year-old Hamels going to be reliable for the Braves in 2020? With Stephen Strasburg and Gerrit Cole on the market you would think the Braves, who are set up for a World Series run, would have gone after one of these two studs to anchor the rotation.
The knock on Hamels is he possibly is wearing down. During the month of September last season Hamels never made it past the 5th inning in any of his starts. Does that sound familiar Braves fans; starting pitchers not making it through 5 innings?
Have the Braves gotten better by swapping Keuchel for Hamels?
Back to Donaldson, with the Braves using $18 million on Hamels will the Braves still try and sign Donaldson? Does this now mean that the Braves are finished dealing during this offseason?
The bullpen is now the best ‘on paper’ in baseball, and you bring in Hamels to help anchor a shaky rotation, but without re-signing Donaldson has this team really improved this offseason?
I for one hope the Braves are not done this offseason. This team is close to contending for a World Series title, but even with signing Hamels, I think the Braves need to get another top line starter to go with the awesome everyday line-up.
We know of all the young arms in the system, but will they be ready in 2020 to make a contribution?
Come on Braves finish the winter strong. Keep your eye on the prize.
Brunswick High Pirates Coach’s Show w Sean Pender November 26
Brunswick High Pirates Coach’s Show w Sean Pender November 20
Brunswick High Pirates Coach’s Show w Sean Pender November 13
On My Mind
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
There are a lot of things going on in the world of southern sports currently. Here are some random thoughts:
- On 4th and a foot you run the football, Dan Mullen. To win in the SEC you have to be able to run the damn football. At Mississippi State you can get away with that, but at Florida you can’t. Lose again to UGA next year and see how hot your seat gets.
- Wristband Gate at UF caused them to use two early timeouts in the World Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. Again, you can get by with that in the Egg Bowl, but not against Daddy Kirby.
- The Atlanta Falcons are a huge dumpster fire. Time to clean house and start over. Nick Saban has a home in Georgia. Home Depot will make tons of money during the Christmas season. Breakout the check book Falcons.
- The Atlanta Braves decline the 2020 option on Julio Teheran’s contract. That took about three years too long.
- Cam Newton has major health issues and is out for the season, but the Panthers are 5-3 and in playoff contention. Can someone in Charlotte pick up the phone to the Chicago Bears and say are on the line looking for a QB?
- The Brunswick High Pirates are back in the playoffs in 2019. Note to region 2-AAAAAA if you didn’t beat the Pirates in 2019 you won’t again until 2023 at the earliest, and if you did you better enjoy it.
- Richmond Hill got bumped to 7A in the latest reclassification by the Georgia High School Association through 2022. How quickly will RH file the isolation paperwork to the GHSA to stay in 6A?
- FSU is looking for a new football coach. We never got the time to know you Willie. Who wants to come in and continue cleaning up the mess Jimbo left?
- Auburn is looking at another banner year under Gus. Bus number 8-4 is running out of gas finally on the Plains.
- Tua’s ankle, Tua’s ankle, Tua’s ankle, Tua’s ankle, Tua’s ankle. You get my drift.
- The first QB selected in the 2020 NFL Draft is Joe Burrow.
- The best college football team in the State of Georgia is the Valdosta State Blazers. They just keep winning and winning.
- The Atlanta Hawks are an NBA Draft Lottery team once again.
- Anthony Edwards will lead the UGA Men’s Basketball team to a bid in the NCAA Tourney.
- Randon Jernigan will bat over .300 and make All-SEC in 2020 for the Diamond Dawgs. Why? Because his Aunt Sandra told me so. That’s good enough for me.
- The Frederica Knights beat Bulloch Academy on Senior Night Friday under the oaks on St. Simons, and win two GISA Playoff games.
- Kawhi Leonard is the best NBA player on the planet at this moment in time. Those who don’t agree I have three words for you MAKE THE PLAYOFFS!
- Lawrence Cager is still wide open against DBU.
- Lowndes County is the best high school football team in Georgia.
- McIntosh County Academy hats off to you and the improvement you have shown in 2019. Look out for the Bucs moving forward.
- Note to the College Football Playoff Committee, you have undefeated Baylor ranked behind one loss Oklahoma, who lost to Kansas State by 7. Baylor beat Kansas State by 19 points. Dollar Store spring water is just as good as Dasani. Clemson ranked 5th? Get better committee. Baylor is not UCF they play in a real conference.
- The ACC in football is Clemson and the dependents.
- Glynn County Stadium needs an elevator going to the Press Box.
- Camden County officials need to be placed on top of every press box they visit to taste that medicine they dish out.
- The Washington Nationals won the World Series and can’t even win the NL East. Ouch!
Brunswick High Pirates Coach’s Show w Sean Pender November 6
Brunswick High Pirates Coach’s Show w Sean Pender October 31
