First and 10: Is Kirby Smart a genius? Is Dan Mullen SEC's Jim Harbaugh? We're about to find out
1. I don’t want to get on a soapbox, but …
We have to assume Kirby Smart knows what he’s doing and the rest of us are idiots.
If we lay this concept as our foundation, it’s much easier to accept the unwatchable. It’s easier to comprehend why Georgia’s uber-successful coach – who has done everything but win a national championship – insists that undersized and now underperforming Stetson Bennett is his quarterback going into the most important game of the season.
“It’s his team,” Smart said of Bennett.
Georgia vs. Florida has always the one that matters most for both teams. Beating Alabama earlier this month in the “Game of the Year” would have been nice for Georgia – but wouldn’t have meant anything had the Bulldogs lost to Florida.
Not fumbling away a victory at Texas A&M would have been nice for the Gators, but means nothing long-term should Florida beat Georgia.
The winner of this game has one huge obstacle remaining on the road to playing Alabama in the SEC Championship Game with a College Football Playoff spot on the line: navigating COVID.
Florida lost 3 weeks from a COVID outbreak that affected more than 30 players – then came back and played its best game of the season in a rout of a hot Missouri team.
Georgia returned from a forced bye week because Florida’s outbreak forced schedule changes and played its worst game of the season.
Bennett threw 2 (more) interceptions, and Georgia scored 14 points against a Kentucky team that is one-dimensional offensively and struggles to string together positive plays.
This is why, more than anything, I’m hanging on to Kirby Smart knows what he’s doing and we’re idiots.
Because why in the world would Smart, seeing the trendline with Bennett – he’s clearly regressing – and the offensive struggles with him, not at least get snaps for backups D’Wan Mathis and/or JT Daniels in the Kentucky game?
He has known since Bennett’s lousy performance against Tennessee in early October that the quarterback position isn’t working, and then after the ambush in Tuscaloosa, that something is seriously wrong.
Then we reach Kentucky, and Bennett and the passing game (and offense) look like a tow truck in quick drying cement. Bennett had a quarterback rating of 38.9 and threw 2 interceptions (5 in the last 2 games).
Passes continue to get knocked down (against UK, knocked down and tipped into an interception), and the field continues to shorten because Bennett can’t drive the ball with arm velocity to intermediate and deep throws.
Cornerbacks and safeties sit on short routes, and the offense works within a confined space of about 15 yards from the line of scrimmage. The only saving grace is the Georgia run game, which continues to pound away and grind yards — and here’s the key, grind clock — to protect (take your pick) the lead, the defense and Bennett.
But at some point, Georgia will run into a defense that can stop the run, or stop it enough to put the passing game into unmanageable down and distance situations. Once that happens, the experiment that is Bennett becomes the only answer.
We saw when Alabama scored 24 unanswered points what happens when Bennett is the only answer.
“They’re very predictable right now,” an SEC defensive coordinator told me. “If you have the personnel in the back end to go extra in the box and force (Bennett) to make winning throws, you can beat them.”
That’s not rocket science. Any high school DC would use that plan of attack. So why are we here, still debating Bennett and his role in the offense?
Even though Smart says Daniels has been cleared to play, it’s obvious he’s not physically ready to play. If he were, he would’ve – at the very least – played in mop-up to get him on the field, in the jersey, in a game.
Mathis, meanwhile, is the more intriguing question. How does he go from winning the starting job out of fall camp – no matter how or why – to not taking a significant snap after struggling for 2 quarters against a solid Arkansas defense?
How do you file away a quarterback who began the season as your answer? These are all important and legitimate questions, and there might be one overriding answer: Georgia just isn’t good at the position right now.
After 4 years of landing the biggest and best recruits – and watching 5-star prospects Jacob Eason and Justin Fields leave because of Smart’s infatuation with Jake Fromm – the irony of ironies is Georgia is left with a former walk-on, a project (Mathis) and another former 5-star who can’t get on the field because he hasn’t completely healed from knee surgery.
That means Florida, which looked terrible defensively in the first 3 weeks, then lost 3 weeks of preparation time dealing with a COVID outbreak, somehow looks like the team to beat this weekend at Cocktail Party in Jacksonville.
That, or Kirby Smart is brilliant and the rest of us are idiots.
2. If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck …
This has to be said, so get ready, Gator fan:
If Florida doesn’t beat Georgia this weekend, the Gators have their own version of Jim Harbaugh on the sidelines.
Looks good, plays the part, wins a lot of games … and doesn’t win the games that matter.
Just substitute Georgia for Ohio State, and away we go.
Don’t think it’s not a fair comparison. Mullen has a better record than Harbaugh against ranked teams and is better overall against his rivals (Georgia, Florida State, Tennessee) than Harbaugh is against his, but Mullen will ultimately be judged (like Harbaugh) on the team standing in front of him in his division – and the CFP race.
Maybe that’s why Mullen got so agitated Saturday night after his quarterback, Kyle Trask, took a cheap shot from Missouri on the last play of the first half. Mullen didn’t see it, but was told about it – and rushed to midfield to join what had already developed into a mini-brawl.
He didn’t start it, but he sure didn’t do anything to discourage it. Why, you ask? Because his team looked flat, there was no energy on the sideline or in the stands, and something had to be done.
Mullen has always been this type of coach, not afraid to say something or do something to get his team zeroed in on what matters. He tried it prior to last season by gigging Smart and Georgia, and the Gators got closer but couldn’t win.
He did it again this offseason when he proclaimed the expectation is to win every game. He said he won 2 national titles at Florida (while offensive coordinator for Urban Meyer) and he knows what national championship teams look like.
And he did it against Missouri because, after 3 long weeks of isolation, his team needed a spark. He’ll get fined by the SEC, and the Gators had 2 players kicked out of the game (including starting DL Zach Carter) who will miss the first half of the Cocktail Party, but Florida played better in the second half because of it.
Spur of the moment stunts won’t help Florida beat Georgia, but they can fuel the emotional tank. At the end of the day, 3rd-down defense will determine who wins the Cocktail Party.
In the past 2 years, Georgia’s offense converted 20-of-32 3rd downs against Florida, for a whopping 63%. Florida’s offense, on the other hand, converted just 6-of-18 (33%).
3. It just means more Cocktail, The Epilogue
I wrote earlier this year about how these coaches don’t like each other. It’s more than just a friendly dislike because of the rivalry.
Mullen has decided to go full-on Steve Spurrier in his attempt to get in the heads of Smart and Georgia. No one did that better than Spurrier, who was deep in the collective psyche of Ray Goff, Jim Donnan and Mark Richt.
Smart is a different cat; he won’t be intimidated. He has better players, and he knows players win games. Except, that is, this season.
Because at the most important position on the field, Florida wins by a country mile. Kyle Trask is the first game-changing Gators quarterback in this rivalry since a guy named Tebow.
Trask wasn’t necessarily ready for the enormity of last year’s game. It was his 6th career start, and Mullen used a safe game plan of short to intermediate throws.
They’ll spread the field vertically and horizontally this time, and force Georgia’s fast, athletic defense to cover in space. Mullen has the plan, and he has the better quarterback.
One big difference between Mullen and Harbaugh at Michigan: Harbaugh has never had the better quarterback against Ohio State.
That makes this game all the more important for Mullen and the Gators.
4. The quiet candidacy
Quietly and consistently, Mac Jones is having a Heisman Trophy-worthy season. He has better numbers than Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence, and his numbers project as significantly better than Justin Fields at Ohio State.
The only quarterback who could catch Jones: Florida’s Kyle Trask – if the Gators keep winning.
Jones has 2,196 yards, with 16 TDs, 2 INTs, and is completing 78.5% of his passes in 6 games.
Trask has 1,341 yards with 18 TDs and 2 INTs, and is completing 68% of his passes in 4 games.
If Florida and Alabama win out and play in the SEC Championship Game, the game that has become the showcase of the regular season in college football could decide the SEC Championship, a spot in the CFP and the Heisman Trophy.
Jones’ season numbers (11 games; 10 regular season, 1 SECCG) project to 4,026 yards, 29 TDs, 4 INTs, and are similar to projections for Lawrence and Fields.
Trask’s season numbers (11 games) project to 3,687 yards, 50 TDs, 6 INTs.
This, of course, is subject to the impact of COVID.
5. The Weekly Five
Five picks against the spread.
- Georgia vs. Florida (+6)
- Vanderbilt (+17.5) at Mississippi State
- Texas A&M at South Carolina (+8.5)
- Tennessee at Arkansas (+3)
- Clemson at Notre Dame (+7)
Last week: 2-3.
Season: 16-13.
6. Your tape is your résumé
An NFL scout breaks down a draft-eligible SEC player. This week: OT Alex Leatherwood, Alabama:
“Just a massive man. His arms are like tree trunks. He has an unbelievably strong base; his lower body is powerful. I’ve heard people compare him to (former Alabama OT) Cam Robinson, and I just don’t see it. (Robinson) was raw, and wasn’t exactly a guy that was physically imposing. (Leatherwood) is more technically advanced, and he’s a mauler.
“He’s just a guy that will hurt you, in the run game or pass protection. There were a few reasons why Robinson fell (in the draft), but none more than the thought that he wasn’t a physically aggressive guy. He was more technique. I’m not saying Leatherwood lacks technique; he’s very good in his sets and his footwork. What I’m saying is I love his physical play. I want my left tackle to be a badass. And that’s what he is.”
7. Powered Up
This week’s Power Poll – and one big thing.
1. Alabama: Tide get a bye week to rest and refocus for this brutal final month stretch: at LSU, Kentucky, Auburn, at Arkansas. (that’s sarcasm, folks).
2. Georgia: A handful of nagging injuries, and the loss of star S Richard LeCounte (motorcycle accident) for a few weeks, looms large for suddenly stuttering Georgia.
3. Florida: COVID protocols just might have given the Gators an answer in the secondary: young backup CBs Jaydon Hill and Tre’Vez Johnson, and safety Rashad Torrence, were forced into play – and played well.
4. Texas A&M: It’s easy to say Aggies should be 9-1 by mid-December (at SC, at UT, Ole Miss, LSU, at Auburn), but this team – while playing better than the previous 2 seasons under Jimbo Fisher — is far from counting wins.
5. Auburn: Tigers get first win without help from SEC officials. Don’t jump on the LSU game as the answer for Auburn’s offensive ills.
6. Arkansas: The Hogs are better in all areas than the previous 2-3 years. Now it’s time for QB Feleipe Franks to play big and win a couple of games with his arm. Why not this week, at home, against Tennessee?
7. Missouri: The loss to Florida clearly showed the difference in talent between the programs. Gators are rising in the East, while Tigers are building.
8. Kentucky: Wildcats have decided running the ball and playing defense is the safest way to 5-6 wins. How else can you explain not throwing the ball until you absolutely, positively have to? Unleash QB Joey Gatewood and let him throw early.
9. Tennessee: Vols have had a bye week to figure out what’s wrong on offense. Translation: Vols have had a bye week to figure out if they want to scrap QB Jarrett Guarantano for freshman Harrison Bailey.
10. LSU: It’s almost like LSU DC Bo Pelini is calling defensive plays like he’s still coaching in Baton Rouge in 2007. Only he doesn’t have Glenn Dorsey and Ricky Jean-Francois and Darry Beckwith and Ali Highsmith and … you get it.
11. South Carolina: Gamecocks could lose out, or win 4 of 5 to finish the season – and neither would be a surprise. It’s the schedule (TAMU, at Ole Miss, Missouri, Georgia, at UK), and the uncertainty of what you get week to week with this team.
12. Ole Miss: Not sure what to think of QB Matt Corral. It’s those 18 TDs … and 9 INTs and 11 sacks. Also, he’s throwing to 2 NFL-ready receivers and an NFL-ready tight end.
13. Mississippi State: You want rock bottom? Bulldogs have 1 offensive touchdown in the last 13 quarters. It seems like a year ago that first-year coach Mike Leach’s offense was torching the defending national champions.
14. Vanderbilt: This is it for the Commodores. Play 3- and 3-deep zone exclusively, hope for multiple turnovers from Mississippi State, and get your only win of the season.
8. Ask and you shall receive
Matt: This is starting to look like Auburn and Chizik all over again. Win a championship, head for the basement. How much longer do we put up with Coach O?
Freddie Milner
Dallas
Freddie: You’re giving up on a coach who lost 18 players to the NFL, who lost both of his coordinators who were among the top 3 at their jobs, and who is less than a year removed from putting together and coaching the greatest offensive team – maybe the greatest team overall — in the history of college football?
What’s happening at LSU right now isn’t easy to choke down, but it’s also an anomaly.
We’ve seen the way Ed Orgeron recruits (No. 4 in current 247Sports recruiting rankings), and the Tigers will be better by the end of the season. This is a one-off, a season of uncertainty marred by draft losses, critical opt-out defections on both sides of the ball and an injury to the starting quarterback.
9. Numbers: 300
Auburn QB Bo Nix continued an odd trend last weekend that, frankly, fits with his roller-coaster play. His 24 attempts without an interception in the win over LSU continued a streak of no interceptions in 10 career home games. This, of course, leads to the other side of the equation: in 247 passes away from Auburn (road and neutral games), Nix has thrown 10 interceptions.
10. Quote to note
Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin: “So I told John Rhys (Plumlee) to fake to his right and throw to Elijah on a double move. He came to the sideline after throwing to his right and I said, ‘What are you doing? Elijah was wide open.’ He said, ‘I couldn’t hear you because of the mask.’”
With the injuries UGA has on defense
I give UF the edge
It’s shaping up to be a must-win for Florida. All the off season hype that this was the year they got the Dawgs…likely a bunch of injuries on the UGA defense…an undersized former walk-on taking the snaps for the Dawgs…UF having a Heisman level QB and best TE in the game…it’s now or never for Dan Mullen.
You guys are funny. It’s a must win for both teams if they want to keep hope alive for the playoffs.
Of course it’s a must win for the playoffs. So is the SECCG in all likelihood with both UGA and UF already having a loss. I’m speaking to expectations for UF and Mullen. A lot of talking heads had this as the year for Mullen over the Dawgs. Couple that with UF’s offense, UGA’s lack of offense and likely injuries on the defensive side of the ball, and this will be a bad look if Mullen fails on Jacksonville.
LSUMC, TDOW is just getting his excuse ready if they lose this game. It’s hilarious seeing him already using the injury excuse. Injuries are suddenly a factor when it comes to UGA, but every time a Gator fan brought up injuries or missing key starters over the last 3 years, pretty much every Dawg fan shot that down and said “that’s just an excuse” it should just be next man up blah blah blah. Even though the Gators weren’t nearly as deep as UGA is now. The hypocrisy is loud and clear. UGA is 5 deep with 5 stars at every position, injuries shouldn’t matter, they should be able to breeze through this game with their 3rd string.
“pretty much every Dawg fan shot that down and said ‘that’s just an excuse'”
Joe, you are literally making things up. Some said that, sure. But not even remotely close to “pretty much every”.
@Joe It’s not an excuse it’s just a fact. If UGA loses the game I won’t be on here Monday claiming we would have won if X or Y were playing or claiming that “the best team didn’t win” like UF has done the past 3 years. Injuries are part of the game. We just got hit bad at the wrong time. What hurts worse for UGA is who is hurt. Jordan Davis and LeCounte aren’t guys you can simply replace. You better hope Mullen takes advantage bc if UF still loses to a depleted UGA defense and a 5’10” walk-on it’s going to get ugly in Gainsville.
Funny ha ha! Or, funny because they’re dumb as a box of rocks. Regardless, ByeDon 2020!
But I thought UGA has recruited the greatest defense in the nation, has quality depth at every level, players on the second string that would start for every other team, a collection of 5*s, and the greatest defensive mind to ever walk the sidelines?
Doesn’t that go for Bama as well? The Bama defense got torched by Ole Miss. Last year the defense was not great with all those backups, but all everybody talked about was graduation/NFL and injuries.
Bama had a very comfortable win against UGA though….
You sure have been quiet. Was that because of your stupid comments prior to the game?
LOL, funny how the 5* recruiting machine has depth issues against the 3* recruiting machine according to these guys.
And, NO. This is not a must win for Dan Mullen. He took over a roster with ~65 scholarship players from a coach who had no idea what team identity he wanted to create and would just chase *s and not an identity. Mullen is doing well and the only issue he had last year and to less extent this year is depth.
Injuries had an impact last year and this year is up in the air with how COVID can change game dynamics and plans on the Friday before a game.
Injuries are only an excuse for Dawg fans. No other team is allowed to use that excuse.
Really? I feel like gators have used it a bunch recently…
Lots of stupidity in this thread. People literally put words in UGA fan’s mouth and/or construct their entire perception based on the rantings of obvious trolls.
I think it’s a combination of many taking the words of a select few as gospel for all uga fans….many uf fans extra hyped-up for this game….and opposing fan bases extra annoyed by those select few and wanting uga to fail on account of it.
from review, i’m thinking if some of those same uga posters opined that the world was flat…..then by that token, all uga fans were declaring the world to be flat.
Well it’s naive of you to think that the perception of UGA fans is based on just a few posters on this small site. Try reading the message boards and UGA twitter. I also work and live in ATL surrounded by mostly UGA fans. I, as well as others, get their perception of UGA fans from many sources.
Twitter is a bottomless pit of hyperbole and melodrama. It’s naive of you to base any opinions on what happens there. Still, your representation of UGA fans is rooted in gross exaggeration fueled by your own bias.
We’ve all been exposed to crazy and unrealistic fans of all types and from many sources. You create the narrative you choose to see.
P, you are 1000% spot on
Dave Aranda was not “top 3” at his job last year. The LSU defense wasn’t even ranked in the top 25
When he took the LSU job, he was considered the top DC in the nation. He did quite well, considering the turnover at personnel and how quickly the offense scored. He just didn’t seem to jive with Coach O all the time.
It is simple common sense at this point in the season that Stetson Bennett is the best quarterback on Georgia’s roster who is currently healthy.
If Georgia had a better quarterback I might feel differently, but Mullen should get it done this year. I think Harbaugh comparisons are unfair because this is only Mullen’s third season, Harbaugh is in his sixth season at Michigan, and Smart has a two year recruiting head start at Georgia and had a better roster to start with.
But all that said, with the current dispositions of the two rosters, Mullen should win this one. I frankly don’t understand why Georgia is favored.
The line should change dramatically now that the official word has been made on the injury situation.
The Gators win in the Cocktail Party this year…with the Dawgs relying on short passes and the running game…makes it easier for the Gators defense to plan & execute.
Wow, that’s some crystal ball you got there. Better not even play the game, I guess.
Georgia runs the ball and throws short to intermediate passes. When an offense is one dimensional or limited it is easier to defend. Both of those statements are true. You have usually been a reasonable poster so your thin skinned response is a surprise. Declaring a winner based on facts may not happen in reality but it isn’t brash or trolling.
Thin skinned? Ok.
Making declarative statements about the future as if they’ve already happened is what I was pushing back against. To do so isn’t thinned skinned, but very much in keeping with what happens in the comment section of CFB sites.
When was the last time UGA relied on something other than short passes and the running game? What team outside of Bama has had success in doing anything about that?
Auburn?
South Carolina?
Gus needs to bring Gene Hackman in with a measuring tape. Spend about 30 minutes before the next road game measuring the field and hash marks.
LOL, Great movie ….
I’ll make it coach.
Eh…we are all guessing more than usual in this Covid season. In one paragraph he says Florida played its best against a “hot” Missouri. Next paragraph points out how weak Kentucky is and we have all been shocked by LSU…the two Missouri wins. Same with Arkansas which will have a chance to separate themselves just a little with a home win over Tennessee. I’m just glad I dont make my living by guessing what’s going to happen in the weird year.
Good point.
At least 3 starters on defense won’t play against Florida; two on the DL and a safety. That, along with Bennett, are probably the deciding factors. Poor QB play and defensive injuries will be too much to overcome.
Funny how UGA fans are turning the narrative around and making it out like they are the underdog and that UF “should win this game” now and injuries “will be too much to overcome”.
You find it interesting that UGA fans are adjusting their expectations based on the realities that have unfolded this far into the season???
Are you serious?
Are you suggesting we should stubbornly cling to preseason narratives and expectations instead?
I find it interesting how in the off-season and every game this season that UGA had the best, most talented, deepest, and greatest coached defense in the entire nation, but after a few injuries that’s not the case anymore.
Like how Bama blamed their defensive struggles last season on Moses being hurt? That kind of interesting?
Losing Jordan Davis and LeCounte isn’t about losing depth. We have young talented guys that can play behind them but neither of them can be “replaced”. That’s not counting Rochester, Rice and Stevenson. I don’t care how much depth a team has losing 4-5 starters hurts. It’s idiotic to pretend it doesn’t.
17, you create outlandish narratives and then lash out at UGA fans when you supplement those outlandish narratives with cherry-picked observations.
Until the cocktail party means as much to Mullen as it does Kirby I’ll hold my breath. Is it crazy to think UGA practiced and studied for Florida not Kentucky? UGA has the talent to sleep walk through the majority of their schedule and win by double digits. It would be naive to say that game plan wasn’t designed to show Florida nothing new. It will be an interesting game to say the least I just hope both teams can be as close to full strength as possible. Until we get the monkey off our back I won’t predict UF to beat the dawgs. Go Gators
I generally agree with you, but Georgia more likely used their bye week to prepare for Florida. I would hope we used some of our two weeks off to study Georgia.
Sure but I honestly don’t think UGA is hiding anything on offense… Until they can put another QB behind center they are what you see…
Agreed.
I disagree. Monken’s playbook is bigger than what we’ve seen so far in my opinion. I’m sure Bennett would struggle to run most of it, but I also believe there will be some new things thrown at Florida that’s specifically meant to attack UF’s defensive weaknesses.
Agreed. I don’t think GA is intentionally hiding anything on offense, but there’s no question Monken’s playbook is much bigger than what they’ve been comfortably using thus far. You can’t just bring in a new offense and have it’s playbook wide open in 4 or 5 games, especially with no real camps. I think Drinkwitz and Mizzou are in a similar situation, we’ve only seen a percentage of what’s really there simply because there just hasn’t been enough time to roll it all out, even in practice.
It doesn’t matter how big Monken’s playbook is. Bennett doesn’t have the tools to execute it properly.
Of course his playbook is bigger but you’re not going to execute it with Bennett at QB… That’s the point…
I agree his playbook is bigger. I just don’t think it matters.
Monken will prove is ability as an OC if he’s able to make the offense productive given Bennett’s limitations and how defenses so far like to attack him. I think it’s too early to make any firm declarations.
It’s always too early to make firm declarations. The future cannot be known.
Kirby respects Stoops and the danger of noon kickoffs far too much to try and walk into Lexington with a vanilla gameplan looking ahead to the next week’s opponent.
I don’t think you can really say the this game doesn’t mean as much to Mullen as it does to Smart. I think it’s pretty obvious this game means more to him than any other with all of his shots at them. The problem has been Florida hasn’t had the talent or depth to compete with them the last 3 years and every game has had multiple starters out with injuries. That’s been the deciding factor more than him not caring.
I just don’t get why guys think Kirby is “hiding” some genius offensive game plan. UGA’s offense actually tried against Kentucky and that was the result. Their offense is bad. Plain and simple. There’s nothing to hide. If Florida can’t take advantage of several defensive starters going down and the worst UGA offense in recent memory (run by a 4th string walk on) then it’s fair to question whether Mullen will ever get it done.
Bennet only threw the balk what 13 times? That’s very vanilla, I’m not saying he has some genius plan I just think The offense isn’t quite as bad as it looked Saturday.
I said this in a UGA post, but as long as writers harp on the QB situation I think logic needs to be brought into the discussion.
The fact of the matter is this: the offensive playbook will always be limited with Stetson’s arm “talent” but Kirby must feel like the offensive playbook is more limited (thus, more predictable for opposing defenses) with the other QB’s on the roster due to knowledge of the playbook/decision making in practice/etc.
This doesn’t make Kirby a genius and it doesn’t make him an idiot. I don’t love the old school/conservative offensive philosophy, but the QB’s on the roster aren’t helping the situation.
Kirby and Monken are just playing the hand that has been dealt to them. The best strategy for Georgia is to focus on the run with play action passes on a few first downs.
From a Gator perspective, my biggest concern is James Cook getting to the edge with Carter sitting out at least the first half, and Cook getting schemed open (e.g., like the wheel route in the Alabama game).
Well that wasn’t even a wheel route v Bama. That was just a bad defensive scheme/ poor communication. Cook went out wide and an LB matched up with him so it was an easy fade.
I’ve been pleasantly surprised with cook this season. He’s still not a world beater, but it’s crazy how much better he is when he isn’t exclusively used on jet sweeps.
You’re right. Just one more thing to worry about (Cook matching up on a linebacker).
Which UT team will show up at Arky? The UGA first half or the UGA second half? I am not sure UT should be favored at Arky. They really haven’t proven anything yet this year. As for the QB, who knows what Pruitt will do. At a guess, G starts until he screws up, then is yanked for a time. Everyone keeps harping for Bailey, but the virus has crushed all the preseason work he needed to get ready.
We may see Maurer before Bailey, honestly. And that’s due to what you said in limited preseason. If G truly is our best shot then we are in trouble.
I know Maurer was dealing with some personal stuff in the off-season, but I’ve been impressed from the snaps I’ve seen from him. I think he has a moxie that JG doesn’t, and I think he has at least as good of a deep ball.
Tennessee did beat Missouri!
It is obvious UGA does not have an option at qb or we would have seen it.
I agree although I am a little irritated that Mathis got pulled so quickly and Stetson is allowed to continue to play. Mathis has a much higher upside. I don’t think the 1st half of Arky was fair to make a judgment on him. He obviously won the job in the spring. I like SBIV but he is what he is. Average.
I agree
“Handful of nagging injuries”
Starting safety Lecounte: out for several weeks
Starting NG Jordan Davis: out for several weeks
Starting safety Lewis Cine: questionable for Saturday
Starting STAR Tyriqe Stevenson: questionable for Saturday
#2 DT/NG Julian Rochester: out for the season
As for the weird Kirby=genius/idiot and Mullen=Harbaugh narrative…what an overreactive take for both topics.
The simple fact is that we’re really back to square one with regards to the Cocktail Party. Once the 2019 season ended and Fromm declared for the draft, the general assumption was that Florida’s experience advantage on offense and the questions would give them the edge to win the East/GA-FL game. There was a break in this consensus when Newman arrived, but his surprising departure and Mathis’ ensuing implosion leading to a 4th string walk-on leading whatever the heck you call that unit brought everyone back to viewing Florida as the leader.
Georgia’s offense has gone downhill since the Auburn game. Florida’s defense has improved since the TAMU game. Georgia’s defense was gashed by injuries.
The mismanagement of the QB room (actual mismanagement–not the stupid constructed narrative surrounding Fields in 2018) has brought us to this discouraging point where Georgia getting favored by 4.5 points seems downright outlandish.
There’s absolutely no reason Florida shouldn’t win this game, and they’ve worked for three years to get to this point, but if they don’t, I still think you have to wait for next year’s matchup to see if Mullen is potentially a Harbaugh. This year he has all sorts of pieces, but 2020 is just wack. Next year will be a normal season with both teams reloading at different sides of the ball with their coaches’ own recruits. That, IMO will truly set in concrete the current narrative surrounding Darth Mullen.
Solid take!
Also, add in K-Mac at RB out
George Pickens (questionably out)
Quay Walker (questionably out)
———just a plethora of starters that are hurt…and I still think Stetson’s hand is still banged up to be able to make accurate and long throws.
I completely agree that framing Mullen to be Harbaugh and the sarcastic is Smart a genius/idiot narratives are overreactive and frankly dumb. Certainly not befitting of actual sports journalism.
Also calling it a handful of nagging injuries is flat wrong. The totality of injuries suffered against Kentucky could likely alter the trajectory of the season.
Mullen is not Hairball. Hairball is the 4th highest paid coach, Mullen just cracks the top 10! Not only does Hairball lose to his rivals, he also has a 1-4 bowl record at Wishigan! Hairball is in year 6, Mullen is year 3!
Overreactions and bad takes is SDS’s MO. All their stories are just to get a reaction.
I disagree. If Mullen loses this one the comparisons are definitely fair. He won’t get a more favorable draw from UGA in the next few years so he needs to get over the hump this year. Also, the comparison is fair in another respect: until we beat Georgia, we’re not going to win absolutely anything, not the East, certainly not the SEC and much less are we in the playoffs. Same thing that happens at Michigan: people are always high on their teams at the beginning of the year and every year all those hopes disappear when they can’t get past Ohio State.
Empire, Wishigan has finished 2nd, 3rd, and 4th in their divison under Hairball! Hairball has also faltered many times the qb position. IMO year 4 is where you can start that comparision as its 100% Mullen’s guys!
Ok, but Harbaugh’s mediocrity doesn’t just extend to consistently losing to the same guy…at least Cousin Dan has a couple of NY6 bowl wins.
Mullen isn’t “consistently losing to the same guy.”
He’s lost to Smart in his first two years at Florida. Smart had a two year recruiting head start and inherited a better roster.
I agree with you there…what I’m saying is that even if Mullen loses to Smart for the 4th year in a row, that doesn’t come close to the level of underachievement and bland mediocirty Harbaugh currently operates on at Michigan. He’d have to be consistently getting upset by lesser teams, blown out by UGA (hasn’t happened at UF yet), and flailing around in bowl games.
Agreed. But if he does lose this Saturday it will be just the third year in a row for him.
NashvilleGator, Last year South Carolina beat Georgia! How did that happened and not Florida doing that?
To quote a song from The Grateful Dead, ‘what a long strange trip it’s been.’ And it will continue. 10 SEC games. Arky rising. LSU living up to LSWho. The other Bo at Auburn giving us a Gus roller coaster. Kirby and his QB carousel. Thank goodness we have the stability of Bama and Vandy to serve as bookends to 2020.
This coward couldn’t wait to tee up the Eason/Field comment. The “infatuation” with Fromm led to SEC Championship, Rose Bowl, CFP semifinal win, three straight SEC East trophies. Eason couldn’t even flourish in the PAC 12 with no defenses. Fields made a business decision, right for him. Maybe not all 5 stars are equal.
What do you mean Eason couldn’t even flourish in the Pac-12? He threw for over 3000 yards 23 TDs to only 8 ints, with a 143.9 rating. Are we trying to act like he had even remotely the same talent around him that Fromm did? What do you think Fromm would’ve accomplished at Washington? On top of that, Eason was drafted 45 picks before him.
Eason had less talent around him at Washington, yes, but also faced comparatively less talented defenses. So it’s a wash in the end. Also, Eason absolutely struggled to flourish. Hand picking stats off a website misses a lot of the context around his tenure. His size and cannon for an arm do make him a better NFL prospect. But Fromm was the better college QB.
If you think playing against teams like Oregon State, Colorado, Arizona, Washington State, or even Stanford last year is similar to playing against Florida, Auburn, Texas A&M, Notre Dame, and Baylor you’re not being honest with your analysis. Eason was physically much more talented than Fromm, but there’s a reason Fromm never let go of the starting job. He was a better college quarterback than Eason despite his physical limitations.
Fromm was a better quarterback than Eason, even though Eason was vastly more talented.
UGA achieved most of that because of the running game and stout defense. All Fromm did in 2017 was not cost the team games. He was slightly better in 2018 and significantly worse in 2019. At the end of the day Fromm didn’t get UGA over the hump. You might not like me giving him blame but I don’t like you giving him credit.
His ability to read defenses and put the offense in correct plays cannot be overstated. The offensive coaching in 2019 was abysmal. He definitely deserves some credit as well as blame.
The revisionist history on Fromm from some Georgia fans is hilarious. The primary problem in 2019 was a receiving corps that couldn’t get out of its own way, which in turn allowed opponents to stack the box against Swift and those two first round offensive tackles.
I find your comment odd. In this particular thread, who is revising history?
Just responding to Dirty South’s comment about Fromm.
Mizzou is rebuilding, we have a freshman QB coming off an ACL tear and a new coach who had no spring or summer thanks to covid. Most of us kinda thought we’d be 0-5 right now. Instead we’re 2-3 and we were picked by some folks to beat Florida—a possible playoff team.
We aren’t under any illusion that we’re a contender in the East in 2020, but Mizzou fans should be optimistic about the future.
31-13 FL
We’ll be lucky to score 13 based on qb play.
Depends if our defense wakes up Saturday wanting to play or not
One thing I am worried about is that Smart slow played the UK game. Basically that UF would prepare for Bennett all week and then Mathis or Daniels comes out and starts.
Maybe but I would think UGA would want to actually get those guys some game snaps before throwing them Into the fire against Florida.
I agree and my fear may be unfounded, it’s just something I’ve thought of. Basically, until we unseat them, I give them the benefit of the doubt.
You’re overthinking it. The Frat Midget takes every snap against UF.
Love the conspiracy theory. Smart has basically admitted that they prepped for teams other than Kentucky in the bye week and the offensive game plan was designed to hide the qb last Saturday. We’ll see how our offense looks against the gators. I think there’s no doubt it will be more versatile than what it looked like against Kentucky
Enough of all the what ifs……
Georgia is going to win the game,in spite of injuries.Georgia will run the ball down their throat,kill the clock and wear that weak defense down.The Georgia defense will stop the Florida offense enough to win.There is too much of a talent differential in terms of both players and Coaching.Georgia wins by double digits.
Mullen is more along the lines of the SEC’s Mike Gundy
Stetson Bennet will play like Joe Montana this Saturday…
i like it. i was thinking the same.
Yes, if Joe Montana was 5-11 and had no arm strength.
Trask certainly gives UF a real chance but it always seems the team to run the ball best wins this game. I think UGA is better suited to do that this time. It should be one of the best games this season and an early playoff game/atmosphere. Hope the game lives up to the hype.
If we can play defense like we did against Mizzou then we get it done, if we play defense like we did against Texas AM then we’re gonna have a problem. It makes sense we Georgia is favored, but I like Florida’s chances. It could go either way, it’s all about the if our Defense shows up
I keep seeing the word hyperbole. I do not think it means what you think it means.
#7, subset #1. While our path to the championship game is looking pretty good, still, the writer managed to insult four teams in one stroke…not sarcasm from me. But then again, When you are BAMA, it is hard to be humble and easy to be generous. I just tell it like it is. Let the rocks fly.
Its becoming painfully obvious why Kirby loses incredibly gifted QBs. Why even go there now and waste your time? If I was a UGA fan I’d be unhappy.
Just curious. Are you happy as a USC fan? Don’t worry about us. We’re doing fine.