Hot Lunches
You Don’t Deserve Georgia Games…
Ok, are we over this Boise loss yet? I hope so. I was over Sunday after the first shot rang out of my 11-87 Sportsman and found its mark on an unsuspecting Dove. But let’s be honest, if you think Boise St was a ‘fake’ team and we should’ve just rolled all over them, you should go play in traffic.
The Good:
Our defense seems much improved from last year. Even though they gave up 35 points, it wasn’t like Moore was just letting it fly and connecting on 30-40 yard passes. In fact, I didn’t see in the stats where he made a completion over 20 yards. We looked much more physical and under control. They nickled and dimed us to death and our Offense couldn’t amount much of anything so our defense seemed to be on the field with short field to their back most of the night.
Malcome Mitchell. Remember that name. He broke on that seam route and Boise’s safety looked like he was mucking around in swamp boots. He also was targeted a couple of more times (and he WAS wide open the, too) but Murray sailed those passes.
Drew Butler and the punt team. He averaged 48 yards on the night. If it wasn’t for Butler and this unit, we get blown out of the stadium.
Crowell. He had some of the greatest 3 yard runs in UGA history on Saturday night. If we can get back to non predicatble play-calling and run more out of the I, it will bode well for him.
Jarvis Jones. He was ALL OVER the place. He is amazing and looks like he has a bright future in at that OLB spot.
THE BAD
Murray. Although I hate to put him here, his game play wasn’t stellar. Although the multiple dropped passes didn’t help and neither did the play calling, and neither did the protection…I would really want to label this as ‘ok’ but I just can’t.
Offensive Line. If Bean Anderson jumps offsides one more time, they should soap blanket bludgeon him. Uncalled for and ridiculous. Also, it didn’t look like Friend made too many adjustments to stop no 92’s backside rampage that cost us 2 sacks and a 4th and 1.
THE UGLY
Play calling. I get why everyone is so mad. I was too. You can ask Captain and this random guy that sat in front of us I called the first 6 plays we ran (even the Boykin end around, which was blocked BEAUTIFULLY I might add). If some ex-football and mildly inebriated fan in section 310 can call the first 6 plays, then I’m sure it was a gift-wrapped present for Boise’s D Coordinator. I’m not gonna second guess Bobo for the entire season based on one game, but it was abysmal. I’ll never understand why we didn’t use our 250 lb fullback to block in the I, or how Boise gave us the seam all night yet we only threw a pass for that once (which resulted in a Malcome Mitchell TD), or how we never ran a crossing pattern over the middle even though their DB’s bailed every time they saw pass. It’s unnerving and pathetic.
Dawgs Fans. I swear, I love our fan base but sometimes we take it to extremes. I mean some of the stuff I saw on Facebook and Twitter were inexcusable. Fire Richt! Fire Bobo! Fire Grantham! Fire Murray! Revoke Crowell’s Scholarship! Eat shit UGA, I’ll never go to another game again. That kind of whale squeeze doesn’t belong in our fan base. Go take your Stafford jersey, backwards G hat, earrings, gold chains, and your meth and go sit on a buzz saw. You don’t deserve Georgia games. As the season goes on and we don’t make any progress, then yes. I agree a change should be coming, but remember these kids can read what you post. Their psyche is fragile enough.
Look, we played a legit top 3 team who was well coached, well disciplined, seasoned, and resourceful. We on the other hand are a young inexperienced, and largely green team who is searching for an identity. Boise St is a great team. We played them somewhat close and even with our mistakes and miscues were still in the game at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Not great, but something is to be said for having a chance against that team. Let us not forget South Carolina had to make one hell of a comeback against a vastly weaker team in ECU. I like our chances on Saturday, as long as we come to play.
OTHER NOTES:
I never want to wear anything but our standard home or away jersey’s EVER. You could not even see what numbers we were wearing and I want the names on the back of the jersey. Nike flubbed on these and should be punished.
The Dome at the beginning of the game was the loudest sporting even I’ve ever heard. I’ve never been in a more exciting atmosphere for a game.
-Inspector G
The Zooker Was a Nice Guy…
Let’s look at some numbers and seech:
From Boys of Old Florida Blog:
“Coaching staff 2006 Florida Gators
• Urban Meyer – Head Coach
• Steve Addazio – Tackles/Tight Ends
• Stan Drayton – Running Backs
• Billy Gonzales – Wide Receivers
• Chuck Heater – Recruiting Coordinator/Cornerbacks
• John Hevesy – Centers/Guards
• John “Doc” Holliday – Associate Head Coach/Safeties
• Greg Mattison – Co-Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line
• Dan Mullen – Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
• Charlie Strong – Assistant Head Coach/Co-Defensive Coordinator/LinebackersThree of those men are now head coaches in their own right, with Strong at Louisville, Mullen at Mississippi State and Holliday at Marshall. Gonzales is at LSU, and Mattison with the Baltimore Ravens. Hevesy went with Mullen to MSU.
That leaves Addazio, Drayton and Heater from a staff that won the BCS title only a couple of years ago. Only 3 of the 9 assistants remain.
The coaching core of the Florida 2006 and 2008 BCS Champions weren’t constructed by Meyer when he came to Florida in 2005 – it was formed at Bowling Green in 2001. Mullen, Gonzalez and Hevesy all followed Meyer from Bowling Green to Utah, and then to Florida. Meyer and Mullen were together even before that at Notre Dame, with Meyer as the special teams coach and Mullen a graduate assistant. The two traveled the country learning the foundations of what would become the spread option from names like Scott Linehan and Joe Tiller. Then at Bowling Green, and later Utah, the two perfected what would later be so successful at Florida.
In other words, its as much Mullen’s offense as Meyer’s and perhaps, because Mullen did the play calling, even more so.
Further, don’t underestimate the loss of Charlie Strong. The Gators won the BCS titles in 2006 and 2008 as much on defense as offense.
All that coaching talent – gone. What remains is Meyer and the coaches that, for whatever reason, haven’t been seen fit to be hired away by other programs. The coaching heart (Strong) and soul (Mullen) of the championship teams are gone.
It happens everywhere, whether at FSU in the ‘90s or USC in the early part of the century. The best assistants leave, leaving the rest. Programs decline.
So what I’d like to see this weekend is some sign IT isn’t over. That doesn’t necessarily mean a win, it means the ability to fight when you are down. It means that spark, that passion that seems to be missing. It wasn’t too long ago opposing fans were taunting us when Meyer cried after a loss. Well, Urban “Crier” has a couple of little crystal trophies that your less emotional coaches don’t.
I want that guy back.
Because if it’s over, let’s get on with what’s next.”
Yeah, and D coordinators don’t make a difference? Which brings me to our guy, Grantham. Who week 2 of being here said this, “If you want to kick Florida’s ass, you better start working now!”. Do you think he takes this seriously?
Back and forth I have tried to think about how far us and UF have fallen. We have done a gradual tail off since 2007, fired a bunch of D coaches and some O realignments are almost surely to come this year. UF has lost almost all every damn on of their top assistants to head coaching. Not only that, look at how well they are doing. If we win this weekend, I finally think we all can say that winning a MNC is not about having Tebow and Percy Harvey, but also about having an assload of talent in the press box, too.
-Thanks BG
Look for Meyers, unlike Richt, to cowardly blame everything except his coaching style and bolt for retirement or the NFL next year. Good riddance.
-Inspector G
On this week’s menu…
Tons to talk about, mostly negative. I’ve had to give myself a couple of days to think about what I wanted to say and analyze without burnin’ this mother down getting upset. So please excuse my lack of posting.
No words can take the sting away, but maybe some common sense punditry will reduce the duration…
Check back soon…like tomorrow.
-Inspector G (ok, so I went overboard with the tags, but read them, they’re funny….)