First and 10: Is this year's Georgia team as good as last year's Georgia team? No. So quit asking
1. I don’t want to get on a soapbox, but …
While everyone in red and black stands in front of a tangled wreckage and states, without hesitation, that they’ve seen this before, I’m here to get into some cold, harsh truth about Georgia.
It ain’t happening.
This is not the same Georgia football team as 2017. Not even remotely close.
So when Georgia coaches and players start conflating 2017 and 2018, it’s time to take a critical eye to what looks like an easy excuse.
“We lost (again) to a team in the (SEC) West, on the road,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said after an ugly loss last weekend to LSU. “Everything is still in front of us.”
Technically, yes. Realistically, there’s a lot of green left in that putt.
Even if the beatdown at LSU was an anomaly (it wasn’t); even if quarterback Jake Fromm’s regression really is just a numbers thing (it isn’t, and more on that later), the idea of navigating what’s ahead and finishing with one of four coveted spots in the College Football Playoff is laughable. The difference between the road to the CFP in 2017 and this fall is distinct and daunting:
- 2017: Kentucky (7-3), at Georgia Tech (5-5), Auburn (10-2).
- 2018: Florida (6-1) in Jacksonville, at Kentucky (5-1), Auburn (4-3), UMass (2-5), Georgia Tech (3-4), Alabama (7-0) or LSU (6-1).
If that doesn’t convince you, maybe this will. In its only significant game to date, Georgia:
- Lost by 20 points to a team that had scored six offensive touchdowns in Power 5 games against defenses not named Ole Miss.
- Gave up 275 yards rushing.
- Had four turnovers and didn’t force one.
And now comes Florida and Kentucky, two teams that don’t turn the ball over and can pound away in the run game. Georgia got whipped at LSU because Georgia couldn’t control the line of scrimmage.
What happens when Florida and Kentucky – with similar offensive run blocking and better running backs than LSU – line up and start trading blows with the Bulldogs?
What happens when a team that lost to its rival by 35 points in last year’s World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party, gets on the field in Jacksonville with a boatload of emotion and confidence?
What happens when a school that for decades has been overshadowed by its basketball program, plays host to the biggest football game in Commonwealth history to earn the inside track to play in its first SEC Championship Game?
And more than anything, what happens if this version of Georgia meets up with this year’s version of Alabama?
Georgia isn’t nearly as stout on the interior lines as it was last season, and it doesn’t cover in the secondary like it did. We’re seven games into the season, and the Georgia defense has nine sacks and four interceptions.
That’s a huge red flag for any team with CFP hopes – especially considering the schedule before the LSU debacle (here’s a hint: a whole lot of nothing).
Instead of talking about being in the same situation as last season, Georgia should zero in on something more attainable: winning a game of relevance in 2018.
2. The controversy that isn’t — yet
Jake Fromm struggled badly against LSU, and Justin Fields – the nation’s No. 1 recruit last year – didn’t play a significant snap.
That should tell you everything you need to know about Georgia’s “quarterback controversy.”
There is no controversy because Fields clearly isn’t ready to play. If he were, he would’ve replaced Fromm, who looked overwhelmed in the first half and who has been hit and miss for much of the season.
If Fields were ready to play, he wouldn’t have been inserted into the game for run-only packages. If he were ready to play, Georgia would have had a package for him that included throws and plays that allowed him to get outside the pocket and pressure a defense with his ability to throw or break contain and run.
He’s not throwing the ball in a game that matters because the staff doesn’t trust him to do so – at least not yet. At some point soon, that might have to change.
Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
We’re halfway through the 2018 season, and Fromm is on pace to replicate solid numbers from his freshman season in 2017. They’re eerily on pace for almost identical numbers.
This is a problem for two reasons: a quarterback’s biggest jump is typically from his freshman to sophomore season (Fromm is statistically the same player), and Fromm’s third down conversion rate has gotten worse.
In 2017, Fromm completed 58.3 percent of third down passes for 11 TDs, 5 INTS and a QB rating of 174.68. So far this season, he has completed 48.6 percent of third down passes, with 2 TDs, 3 INTs and a QB rating of 101.4.
That’s a significant regression, and even more of a problem considering Georgia played its first elite defense last weekend. Georgia may not have a quarterback controversy on its hands now.
But it better get Fields ready to play — ready to throw the ball — in two weeks, or 2018 will officially not look like 2017.
3. Exposing the red and black, The Epilogue
We should have seen this coming. Georgia’s stock this season was based on last season and a rout of South Carolina in Week 2. And nothing else.
Because of this, we ignored Missouri rushing for 172 yards and 4 touchdowns. And the four fumbles against Tennessee (none lost). And Vanderbilt running for 138 yards – and three more fumbles (none lost).
Georgia, everyone, is a sloppy, undisciplined team. The very thing that played out last weekend against LSU.
When you play an elite team, sloppiness and undisciplined translates to four quarters of ugly – especially when your quarterback hasn’t progressed since last season and continues to struggle throwing on third down.
LSU got constant pressure on Fromm, disrupting his timing and forcing hurried throws (see: a wide open, underthrown flea-flicker). The Tigers don’t have near the pass rush that Florida has, and Georgia struggled in pass protection on the outside.
If you can’t consistently stop the run and have problems pass protecting, games you should win become adventures, and games you could lose become nightmares.
We’ll know exactly what kind of team Georgia is in two weeks, and exactly what to expect moving forward.
4. The uneasy unknown
Nick Saban says Tua Tagovailoa is OK. If that doesn’t make you feel better, what will?
But understand this: Despite what Saban says about Tagovailoa and his sprained right knee, any knee injury – no matter how minor – is susceptible to further damage because of the potential for instability.
There’s a reason that Tagovailoa — after he left the Missouri game last weekend when he tweaked the same knee – walked out of the medical tent and onto the sideline wearing a stability brace.
In fact, don’t be surprised if Tagovailoa wears a brace the rest of the season.
This, everyone, is why Saban did all he could this offseason to downplay the idea of a quarterback controversy between Tagovailoa and Jalen Hurts. Why he desperately tried to sign current Washington State quarterback (and former ECU transfer) Gardner Minshew.
Why him finding a way to keep both Tagovailoa and Hurts on the same roster might be his best coaching move in years.
5. The Weekly Five
Five picks against the spread:
- Vanderbilt at Kentucky (-11)
- Auburn at Ole Miss (+3)
- Mississippi State at LSU (-7)
- Tennessee (+34) at Alabama
- Memphis (+8) at Missouri
Last week: 4-1
Season: 17-15-2.
6. All the right moves
In the NFL, players are the stars. In college football, coaches rule the day.
In that sense, give Dan Mullen credit: It has taken less than a half of a season for him to find what makes his Florida team tick, and he’s squeezing every last ounce of opportunity out of it.
For the first time in nearly a decade, a Florida team has a real, definable identity.
Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
If players truly are a reflection of coach, the Gators are a team playing with great confidence on offense despite not having an elite quarterback or a high-level SEC line.
“The first thing, the big thing, is you have to be physically and mentally tough,” Mullen said. “Once you have that, good things happen.”
Like a quarterback who still is overmatched but continues to develop, and doesn’t make critical, game-turning mistakes. Or an offensive line that doesn’t necessarily have NFL talent, but does just enough to create creases for a talented and tough group of running backs whose yards after contact are the most overlooked factor of the Gators’ turnaround this fall.
Or a team that feeds off trick plays called by Mullen: a game-winning wide receiver pass against Mississippi State, a tight end throwback pass on a go ahead touchdown drive against LSU, and a trick punt against Vanderbilt that energized a team trailing by double digits and still in a funk from a poor week of practice.
These are the things that galvanize a team and change a season.
Don’t forget: This is essentially the same team that couldn’t score points last fall under former coach Jim McElwain, and had completely lost its way in a demoralizing 4-win season.
Of the 22 starters on the depth chart last week against Vanderbilt, all but two graduate transfers (WR Van Jefferson, DT Adam Shuler) and one freshman (CB Trey Dean III) were part of last year’s team.
7. The Big Blue road ahead
Kentucky begins a push this week for what could be the most important month of football in the modern era of the program.
Two weeks after a gut punch loss at Texas A&M, Kentucky plays host to Vanderbilt in one of two games (at Missouri) it must win to set up the biggest game in program history. That’s not hyperbole, that’s reality.
“We know what’s ahead of us, and we know it begins with (Vanderbilt),” UK tailback Benny Snell Jr. said. “We’re not happy about what happened (at Texas A&M). We’re ready to go play again. We need to go play again.”
There’s no secret to what’s on the line over the second half of the season. Kentucky will be favored in every game but one (Georgia), and could win its first SEC East Division title.
Doing that also likely means Kentucky would win 11 regular season games, tying the school record set by the 1950 team coached by Bear Bryant. The Wildcats have two double-digit win seasons in the history of the program, the other a 10-win season in 1977, the last time it posted a winning record in the SEC.
“We kind of got away from what makes us successful (against Texas A&M),” Snell said. “We’re going back to that. We’re going to be physical.”
8. Ask and you shall receive
Matt: This is the worst part about college football. We wait nine long months for it to get here, then it feels like it goes by in a matter of weeks. OK, a few months. Since we’re halfway through, who are your choices for player of the year and coach of the year?
Shirley Stephens
Atlanta
Shirley: I feel your pain, but we’ll get through it together. Here are a handful of midseason superlatives:
Offensive Player of the Half Year: QB Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama
Defensive Player of the Half Year: LB Josh Allen, Kentucky
Coach of the Half Year: Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M
Freshman of the Half Year: DB Patrick Surtain II, Alabama
9. Numbers game
14: Just in case you’ve already heard enough about the important number circulating on The Plains (coach Gus Malzahn’s $32 million buyout), maybe this number is more comforting: 14, as in Ole Miss – this week’s Auburn opponent — is last of 14 teams in the SEC in total defense.
Just what the ailing Auburn offense needs.
The Rebels are 122nd in the nation in total defense (499.6 ypg.), 109th in scoring defense (35.1 ppg.) and 120th in pass defense (289.1 ypg.). If Auburn can’t find a few successful deep throws for QB Jarrett Stidham this time around, when will it this season?
10. Quote to note
LSU coach Ed Orgeron on the team’s fourth down success this season: “I was a little pissed at myself for not going for it against Florida down there on 4th-and-inches. We didn’t do a good job of game management. We’re gonna play aggressive now.”
I agree with most of this … except for all the “what happens when …” assertions about Kentucky and Florida. Not quaking in my boots over those two programs just yet.
You’re not worried about the Florida game. Did you watch the UF LSU game? Better yet, did you watch the UGA LSU game?! Fromm is going against the best pass rush in the country and a top 5 team in turnover margin. Something UGA struggles with. Good luck.
I watched the UF vs UK, UF vs MSU, and UF vs. Vandy games and saw the Gators struggle mightily.
RowdyReptile,
You don’t believe there is any difference in facing LSU at home vs. facing them at Death Valley? That’s a stretch. If you think the Gators are just going to steam roll UGA I think you’re a bit delusional my friend.
We’ll see. I’m staying on the safe side and holding my breath for the remainder of the year.
UGAFlyfisherman…Right back at ya. If you think the Bulldogs are just going to steam roll UF I think you’re a bit in denial my friend. This isn’t the ’17 team with 10 suspended players and a clown for a coach. Not trying to say that the Gators will win, but it sure as hell wont be a 35 point blow out this time…
“Georgia, everyone, is a sloppy, undisciplined team. The very thing that played out last weekend against LSU.”
Matt Hayes, your analysis of UGA is as accurate as an opposing fan’s Twitter rant. And almost reads like one too. The cornerstone of your argument is rooted in vague what-ifs and cherry picked statistics. No doubt Georgia has had sloppy and undisciplined moments. But minus LSU, UGA has dominated opponents while being sloppy and twice in raucous SEC road game environments. Is there massive room for improvement? Without question. Is UGA a playoff contender? No. Should they be concerned about “winning a game of relevance in 2018”? No and that’s a frankly stupid question which exposes your thinly veiled bias.
Most of the country piled it on after UGA lost to Auburn last year, with some in the media calling UGA a pretender that was exposed. UGA’s wins over Auburn and Oklahoma to win the SEC and Rose Bowl, and coming within an eyelash of beating Bama, very clearly demonstrates you cannot conclude anything based off of a single loss to a good opponent on the road, regardless of what you think you saw and what the statistics “show”. While you are right that the 2018 UGA team is not a national championship contender, it is amateurish, Matt Hayes, to attempt to draw any firm conclusions about this 2018 team based off of one loss in Death Valley to an LSU team with its back against the wall. I would seriously expect someone who writes about college football for a living to possess better analytical abilities than a common fan.
Matt was a bit harsh, but his comments weren’t just based on one game. UGA has looked sloppy and undisciplined all season. They just played bad opponents and were able to get away with it. Fromm’s third down passing should be a real concern. UGA fans laughed off the two guys dropping the ball at the end line. That lack of discipline came back to bite the team. UF has a better DLine than LSU and will give UGA fits. Y’all have some serious correcting to do.
If UGA had played sloppy and squeaked by most games with victories of one score or less, then Matt would be more or less spot on. Other than the LSU game, though, no other game UGA has played this year was ever in doubt in the least at any point. They didn’t “get away with” their other victories as that more directly implies they skated by games they should have lost, which is demonstrably false. And while UGA has only played one “good” opponent, that doesn’t mean the rest of their games were against “bad teams”. I mean, LSU has only really played one good team, too. Auburn was very obviously not deserving of their top-10 (or any) ranking when they played LSU, and LSU still only beat them by a single point (Tennessee beat them by 6) and Miami is not a good team either (they beat FSU by one point and lost to Virginia(?!)). Does that mean LSU has only played bad opponents too?
Also, Florida does have a good d-line but also a suspect secondary, hence why Grantham blitzes so much. He’s compensating for their less than par pass defense. LSU has not only a strong d-line but a very good secondary, which is what makes their defense as good as it is.
Look man, I’m as big a UGA fan as they get, but even I could see we weren’t really destined to get back into the Playoffs this year before our loss to LSU. We’ve looked rough all season. Even our wins looked rough. I think Matt’s right.
I reserve the right to withdraw this if we come back from the Bye and show a completely different team, but I don’t think this is our year.
I’ve never thought the 2018 UGA team was set to make a championship run. Too many freshman and sophomore and too many key losses along the defensive front seven. Other reasons notwithstanding, there’s simply no way this UGA team can beat Bama in the SEC championship and that’s been obvious for awhile. Still, Matt’s article is very typically a knee-jerk reaction to a bad loss. Let’s see how UGA rebounds from this against Florida and Kentucky before painting with broad strokes.
No rational UGA fan looked at who we lost off the team last year and thought this team would steamroll their way to a natty.
The Bulldogs’ roster consists of 68.5 percent freshmen and sophomores. That’s the youngest in the SEC and 15th youngest in the country. We knew this stat before the season started.
Being last in the SEC in sacks is alarming whether you like it or not. Don’t discredit Matt because you have your head under a rock
Wow, thanks Rowdy for your sage analysis. I’m fully aware of the lack of sacks, but UGA also did a decent job getting after Burrow. The main issue was stopping LSU’s running game, not Burrow’s ability to stand in the pocket and deliver strikes down field.
Also, wasn’t Florida down to Vandy 21-3 at one point? Maybe focus on your own team’s shortcomings? Oh wait, I forgot, Florida is magically back now simply because they have a mediocre team not engaging in a decade-long tradition of face-planting their way through the season.
I’m sure you don’t want to talk about previous success comparing UGA and UF, do you? I was -11 years old when UGA won a Natty, cut it out. UGA faces a Florida team that leads the SEC in sacks, and is top 5 in turnover margin. We’re not back yet, and nobody implied that, so I’ll ignore the hyperbole. Good luck in Jax
Rowdy, I’ve seen enough comments from Gator nation to know there are plenty who think Florida is back. That’s not hyperbole, though I may have wrong assumed you were part of that crowd. Smart has a decade of experience scheming against Mullen’s offenses; last year’s UGA vs MSU game highlighted that very well. And Tennessee’s incredibly sloppy game against Florida (6 turnovers) is very much padding Florida’s overall turnover margin. Good luck in Jacksonville.
Let’s wait and see? This is a little pre-mature. But have seen every game 3 in person. Jury is still out.
Is that how UGA is going to be for the whole season? 6 games is premature, 8 games is too soon. 6 games isn’t premature. By now, Georgia, amd every other team should have iron out most major hiccups.Georgia just isnt as good this year
Well in 2017 they lost at Auburn not unlike LSU. UGA pretty much got soundly beat on the road, turned it around and beat Auburn for the SECC. They can obviously still win out and win the East, the conference and the natty. That is the reason for my comment. But, I don’t think their as good as last year. They lack leadership. And, the coaching staff and the players all got out performed on Saturday. So it is pre-mature sorry.
I have to disagree with that. Bama is still figuring things out as well. Also, look at last season. We struggled against LSU, State, and lost to Auburn. But between the Auburn loss and the Clemson win, Bama figured some things out and adapted. Then came the NC when everything went out the window and Tua lead the team to a comeback win. No team has everything figured out by game 6. It took us 13 games to figure it out last year.
whatever dude?
A little harsh on jawja even though the issues, stats… are valid. They are not quite the train wreck you described. This is still a very talented team that is very young and still learning to Play together. The rest of their sec games are going to be fun to watch. Vs ky they will be the vastly more talented team but ky is a team. Much more so than any other team in the east.This is their year. They lose a lot after this year. UGA better bring their A game. Florida is just on fire. Sure they came out of the gate slow vs vandy but once their breakfast digested and they woke up they took care of business. Should be a great cocktail party.
At least they beat Tenersee
One small correction: Alabama is playing at Tennessee, not the other way around.
A bit too harsh on the Dawgs. They have been hurt by a weak sked this yr. For the first time their bunch of 5 and 5 star players looked across the los at a bunch of other 4 and 5 star guys. Add the fact of playing in a legendary stadium that’s likely the biggest home field adv in cfb and you can see how they lost. I had LSU by 10 for those reasons. Things did go better than I thought though.
But UK is a 1 trick pony. They’ve got a great run gm but don’t have 5 star WRs like LSU. Once UGA stops the run, they’ll win by at least 17 pats. But the Gators are gonna be a problem. They can slow UGAs offense. But UGA can slow theirs too. UGA gets better QB play on avg. I still got the Dawgs in the ATL vs Bama.
UK isn’t just a one trick pony. They can’t pass, but they can run the ball and play good defense. They will certainly give UGA a bigger challenge than anyone they have faced so far outside of LSU.
UK may not be a one trick pony, but they have a predictable, one-dimensional offense. They took a few decent teams by surprise earlier in the year. The second half of the season may not be as kind.
On offense they absolutely are a one trick pony. Their QB ranks about dead last in passing rankings. You stop Snell, you stop UK. Not saying UKs D won’t slow UGAs offense but after 4 qtr, Dawgs will win by 3 scores.
One of the factors that has to be considered is that UGA is one of the youngest teams in the country – almost 70% of the roster is made up of underclassmen. The younger kids on a team are notoriously difficult to predict under pressure. The LSU game was a wake-up call and we’ll see how they respond.
Offensively, UGA has been a totally different animal this year than last. Chaney has Fromm throwing a lot more, especially on early downs. This is concerning because the run game is still as effective as last year. UGA went into Baton Rouge with the best rushing attack in the SEC. They proved early that LSU could not stop the run – then mysteriously went away from it. The Dawgs are rushing for almost 6 YPC and still good for 13th best in the nation.
Offensively, the answer is clear for the remainder of the year – get back to pounding the ball early and using the pass more selectively. Fromm is better in that situation, especially in play action, and the O-line run-blocks much better than it pass-protects at this point.
They didn’t mysteriously go away from the run. LSU adjusted and UGA averaged 2.5 ypc after their long TD drive. They were forced to abandon the run after LSU started stuffing them and UGA fell three scores behind.
yes, they did abandon the run but they weren’t exactly forced. WHen a team stuffs you and gets really aggressive on the run, you hit them with misdirection, zone reads (Justin Fields), or the occasional draw play. Sticking with the run especially on 1st and 2nd sets up easy 3rd downs but in the first and second quarters UGA started to drop back and Fromm went 2-12 and 3rd and long was common. That’s a recipe for getting behind.
I didn’t check the stats but find it hard to believe the run game is as good as last year. It sure hasn’t looked like it from the perspective of this casual observer. Are you sure about that mtn dog?
Yep. It didn’t feel like it, with Jake throwing so much this year early in the games, but going into Baton Rouge UGA was leading the conference in rushing at 245 YPG. Last year the Dawgs averaged 258. Essentially the same. Even after gaining only 113 yards on the ground Saturday, UGA still leads the conference at 226 YPG.
Not a lot of stuffing going on when your two top backs are averaging almost 7 YPC – on only 19 total carries. Last year UGA would have run the ball three times that number of plays. It was a 10-point game very early in the 4th – plenty of time left to pound the ball and punish the D, which has been UGA’s extremely successful MO late in games. Instead, it was more air attack, which LSU was pinned back and ready for. If Kirby had pulled a Saban and inserted Fields and Cook in the 4th to finish the game, I believe it would have seriously messed with LSU’s defensive scheme. Instead, he put his faith (and loyalty) in Fromm.
^ Meant for the Marine.
Right on Mountain Dog…we failed to readjust to Aranda’s masterful adjustment…we were out coached…add to that Smart is still learning to motivate players like Coach O and we have a massive fail….I assure you that Smart will intensify his motivation for the Gators…but will Chaney return to what we are good at….pound the ball and pass when no one expects it.
I hated the Drive that started on UGA’s own 4 yard line that went incomplete, incomplete (Hardman should have caught it), and interception. I was screaming at the TV to give Holyfield the ball. Worst case you punt and play D but instead you give them the ball just outside of the redzone.
I can’t remember…what game was it when Chubb and Michel went to Chaney and complained that they weren’t getting enough carries because they knew that was what was needed for that team to win games. I’m thinking it’s time for Holifield and Swift to do the same. From is a capable Qb, but we NEED our running game to produce
Georgia at Missouri, what everybody ‘ignored’ was the ref crew riding in there with the agenda to get Georgia, at least another Conference Championship game. That manure doesn’t happen in ‘real’ conferences races and it happens way to often in the NCAA Division 1. It’s way past time for NCAA to watch the some film and start de-frocking the frock-ups. If need be start sending neutral conference crews to do games.
wolfman, you’re still complaining about the refs, huh?
You seriously need a meds check, wolfie.
This, the signs and symptoms of post lobotomy. Wolfman is a good candidate for ECT
Thats frigging crazy.
What’s up with all the “too harsh” comments? UGA played one good team all year and got embarrassed. They are a young team, especially on defense, and the O-Line can’t block for a QB that clearly reaped the benefits of all the talent from last year. They lost on both lines of scrimmage vs LSU, I anticipate the same in JAX based off of what I’ve seen from both teams. Preparation H can be found in your local Wal-Mart for all you butt hurt Dawg fans.
Florida had a terrible season last year and the fans were ready to fire Mullen after the Kentucky loss this year. Now they beat LSU at home and here come the bandwagon trolls creating Florida accounts. You have like 5 posts. You literally just created this account to troll UGA fans. You have zero credibility here. Your team nearly lost to Vanderbilt. When Florida loses to UGA in two weeks, you’ll disappear and slither back to wherever the hell you came from never to be heard from again.
“You have zero credibility here”. What does that even mean? The amount of times you give your opinion on the internet makes you “credible”? I want you to think about that for a sec…… UGA looked bad vs LSU, and will look worse vs Florida. Go Gatas
Florida looked bad against Kentucky, MSU, and Vandy. And got lucky with a horrible throw which lead to a pick-6 against LSU to seal the game. But yeah I’m totally sure they’ll dominate UGA.
Was it the struggle wins against MSU and Vandy, or the manhandling at Kentucky that gives you so much confidence in Florida?
Its probably the win over LSU…
Oh, you mean a very lucky win against a team they should have lost to? Yeah, a veritable well of confidence should come from that.
I bet UGA would take a very lucky win over the loss… They have one loss on the season which is a big improvement. I think he is over the top but Florida fans should be confident and happy about what the team has accomplished so far.
The only good thing about this loss is that UGA got smacked in the mouth and they can either fix it or pack it up. A lucky win over LSU and I think the team continues complacent. This team better come out angry against UF.
My confidence comes from the matchups.
UGA has a struggling O-line, specifically in pass protection. UF has arguably the best DE’s in the country. UF also ran for 225 vs LSU, a team that has a better D-line than UGA. Fromm looks bad, which is why you want a true freshman to start over him. Amongst other things, including the LSU victory, is where my confidence stems from.
UGA’s O-line is rated as one of the top 3 in the entire country. Fromm struggled against LSU, but his numbers are the same, if not slightly better, than last year. And he’s elite at pre-snap reads, recognizing blitzes, and then finding the receiver left open on account of the blitz — something which brutalized Grantham’s defense last year when he was MSU’s DC. Florida allowed Vandy to pass for 220+ yards for almost 7 yards/pass. Outside of a solid pass rush, Florida’s defense isn’t very good and their secondary is a weakness. You know what match-up I like the most? Smart has over a decade scheming and playing against Mullen’s offenses.
yeah man the Line is playing well but they can’t hold blocks as long as Fromm is holding it.
The author lost me at “secondary isn’t covering as well as last year.” UGA secondary is absolutely better than it was a year ago. Lazy analysis. Overall we are not as good as last year but I don’t think the gap is overly wide. Do I think we can beat Bama? Probably not, but I still fully expect to beat Florida and UK, and those are the only teams remaining in the regular season with even a remote shot of beating UGA.
Tyson Campbell and Tyrique McGhee aren’t playing up to the standard but the rest of the secondary has been solid.
Kentucky will not beat Georgia unless they magically get a passing game. I can’t remember the last time a one-dimensional offense stumped Kirby Smart.
The season rests completely on the Florida game. If they can’t beat UF, a team they should beat, after two weeks to prepare then the author was spot on. I think UGA will win out. SECCG is a different story…here’s hoping LSU beats Bama!