On December 6, 2015, Kirby Smart was announced as the new Georgia Football head coach. A job that was previously held by the second most winning head coach in Georgia's history as a football program. Athletic Director Greg McGarity had a tough situation to make after losing to Florida, and averaging just 9 wins a season under Mark Richt. McGarity had to think about whether or not to fire Mark Richt as South Carolina's interest in UGA alumni and then Alabama Defensive Coordinator Kirby Smart was heating up.
That Sunday, Mr. McGarity informed Mark Richt that they would be parting ways at the end of the season but Georgia would like to keep Richt on staff until after the bowl game. Then the big question became, "whom will Georgia pick to replace Richt?" It wasn't long until Georgia answered that question as they hired Kirby Smart a former Georgia safety who was named team captain his senior year. Smart went into coaching after college and held jobs at Valdosta State, Georgia, LSU, Miami Dolphins, and Alabama. Smart became the right-hand man to the one and only coaching legend Nick Saban. As Smart was Saban's defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach. Smart learned the ways of the Saban defense along with how to recruit. The hiring of Kirby Smart was a "smart" one as Georgia made it known that under their new head coach they were going to get back to being a contender year in, and year out. Georgia wanted to take back the SEC East and start winning the SEC Championship every year. Georgia wanted to get back to recruiting the best players in the nation and developing them into NFL caliber players. Lastly but not least, Georgia wanted to slay the beast of College Football known as Alabama. Smart was hired to build Georgia into the next dynasty and to do that they had to beat the current dynasty which is Alabama. So after going 8-5 in Smart's first season at UGA, Georgia brought in the number 6 recruiting class in the country to bring the hope of being able to compete for the SEC Championship at the end of the season. Well after 8-5, Georgia turned around and went 13-2 after losing in the National Championship to Alabama, in an overtime heart breaker. Then after all the hype and the motivation that Georgia was back and ready to once again make it back to the National Championship and this time win it. Well, we all know how last season went, and it started off well until LSU provided Georgia with a nightmare. Then after beating Florida and Kentucky, Georgia went on to make it back to the SEC Championship game and this time they were matched up with Alabama. The rematch, at last, wasn't a disappointment as it lived up to the hype. But after being up on Alabama 21-7 at one time, Georgia wasn't able to finish as Jalen Hurts replaced the injured Tua Tagovailoa and won the Tide the SEC Championship. Then came another nightmare in New Orleans of all places. Where Georgia lost in the Sugar Bowl to an up and coming Texas team. So after a successful G-Day, a lot of Dawg fans are expecting a National Championship. Which would mean Georgia would at some point have to beat Alabama to win the National Championship and end the 39-year drought. So has Georgia closed the gap enough to beat Alabama and win the National title? I believe Georgia has closed the gap a lot in the past three seasons but I don't believe it is closed enough to beat Alabama right now. I think there are still a lot of questions with this Georgia team as we have to see if the receivers are going to be able to help carry the load offensively as we lost our biggest playmakers through the air to the NFL Draft this offseason. On the defensive side, we need to see if Georgia can create a steady pass rush and be able to sustain for the season. We saw the front seven step up in the SEC Championship game against Alabama but it wasn't enough to win it. Then there is a question about whether this offense can sustain a lead against Alabama as the past two times we've played Alabama we have choked away the game. Georgia needs to find a solution in late game situations where the run games aren't always available. Fromm played out of his mind in the SEC Championship game but it wasn't enough to win. Georgia has the offensive line to win a National Championship and they have the quarterback and the running back and we believe we have a good group of receivers who if they step up we could win some big games including the National Championship. But can Georgia put it all together and win the game this time? We will know what kind of team we have this season when Georgia ends up playing Florida where it is expected to be the hiccup game this year like LSU and Auburn have been the past two seasons. Then you might have to worry about Texas A&M potentially challenging Georgia in a Thanksgiving weekend game. Georgia needs to win both those games to make the SEC Championship and to even have a chance at the Playoffs. Georgia plays Notre Dame in week 4 which is expected to be one of the most exciting games of the year. Most of our questions will be answered in that game as it will be the first test Georgia will face in the 2019 season. If Georgia can put it all together with a great gameplan and good playing then Georgia will beat Alabama and eventually go on to win the National Championship.
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After finishing third in the SEC East and losing to Georgia in the "World's Largest Cocktail Party" in Jacksonville, Florida. If I am not mistaken Jacksonville, Florida is going to be considered a home game for the University of Florida this year because Dan Mullen says so. Ever since getting his first big win as Florida head coach in the Peach Bowl, Mullen seems overconfident about his team's chances this year to be apart of the College Football Playoffs.
Ever since Florida held their spring game, Mullen decided that he would like to start taking jabs at Georgia and it's fan base. Mullen did by announcing an attendance number that was simply made up poke fun at Georgia. The Mullen reported attendance was 39,476, which actually meant something to Mullen as he described it as being "39 years since Georgia won a National Championship, and 476 games since winning that championship." A "smart" tactic for a head coach that has not proven himself at his new school where he is entering his second season as head coach. Mullen has failed to bring in a top 5 recruiting class in first full offseason and he failed again in his first year as Florida couldn't even recruit there own state well. In the 2018 class, Florida only brought in 10 players from the state of Florida. Now in 2019, there did improve as they brought in 15, but they weren't the top 15 players in the state as it looks like smaller programs like UCF and USF continue to steal top talent in the state. Florida has failed to bring in a single five-star recruit since the 2015 recruiting class and that class only ranked 21 in the nation. It seems ever since losing Muschamp (Georgia alumni) Florida has failed to bring in the top talent in the so-called "Sunshine State" not even Dan Mullen can recruit his own state of Florida. So why would he be spending the majority of his time trying to take jabs at Georgia and talk about how long it has been since a National Championship has been brought back to Athens? During this time Kirby Smart and company has been on the practice field getting ready for the season. Now that G-Day has passed the Georgia staff are on the recruiting trail, somewhere Dan Mullen should be focusing on more since it has been four years since the university has brought in a five-star recruit. Well here is the answer as to why Mullen is spending his time worrying about Georgia. It is because he knows that he doesn't have a chance of out recruiting Kirby Smart and his staff which is filled with the top recruiters in the country. Mullen knows that he does not have a chance of making the College Football Playoff. Mullen knows that Georgia is the only team in the SEC that can beat Alabama and slay the beast of College Football. Taking public jabs is the only way Mullen and Florida can make the news because every non-Florida fan and every knowledgeable person knows that Florida is not relevant which is why they are trying to rid the "tide" that is Georgia football. G-Day was a success for Georgia even though it was a rainy, cold day in between the hedges. The fans still showed up to Sanford Stadium in support of the mighty Bulldogs. Unlike Florida, Georgia doesn't throw shade at their rivals off-field. Which is why Kirby Smart announced the true attendance numbers from the G-Day game which showed the passion and commitment of Dawgnation. Here is your Top Dawg Report:
Offense: C+ The offense that we saw at Saturday was just a sample size of what we are going to see this Fall when the season begins, the plays and the formations that they ran are just a little trailer. But the play that we saw from the offense is nowhere near game ready for Georgia in 2019. Neither should it be by now because they are 3 months removed from winter workouts. The Bulldogs didn't commit to the run game like they would in a game but that is because the lack of depth at running back doesn't need to be risked in a meaningless team scrimmage. So yes, I didn't expect to see much of D'Andre Swift or Brian Herrian in the backfield with the ball in their hands because it wasn't worth the risk of injury. Instead of running the ball, the game was much more focused on the passing game like it should be, coming off a season where Georgia lost it's top four pass catchers to the NFL Draft later this week. The biggest question for the Georgia offense this season is "Can Jake Fromm carry the load in the passing game a new set of receivers?" We saw last season up until the Florida game that Fromm wasn't on the same page with his receivers at the beginning of the season. A quarterback has to get acclimated to his receivers just like he does with a center. There were a few dropped passes by the receiving core which yet again is still trying to get to know the playbook and build some chemistry with Fromm. Fromm did miss some passes that he normally makes in a season. But there was nothing in this game that I saw that we needed to worry about. I was very impressed with the backup quarterbacks who came into the game and played very well. I could see the value in bringing back Stetson Bennett who played very well with the first team but struggled a little with the second. D'wan Mathis played very well, Mathis looked very poised and comfortable back in the pocket. Trey Blount and Charlie Woerner were my Top Dawgs for their teams as both they did tremendously well in the passing game as both played a huge role in the offense on G-Day. Woerner is finally getting his shot this season to be the starting tight end, after the departure of Isaac Nauta who came into his own last season. Blount, a rising junior is battling for playtime in receiving room filled with talent. Defense: A It was said from the beginning of this spring right from the mouth of Coach Smart, the one thing that he would like to see the defense improve upon was creating more "havoc" plays. Which in football terms means creating more turnovers like fumbles and interceptions. But not only that, it means getting after the quarterback and getting more tackles for a loss. You want to put the offense in a bad situation so that the defense can get off the field faster. The defenses on both teams achieved just that as they caused 7 sacks, 9 tackles for a loss, and 2 interceptions. The first interception was made by returning cornerback Eric Stokes who took to the house for the pick six. One of the biggest criticisms of the Georgia defense last year was that they couldn't get after the quarterback enough. As the defense ranked in the bottom of the SEC in sacks which is something we wouldn't have imagined after the 2017 season. Well, I think the defense showed a little sample to the rest of the SEC about what they will be seeing their backfields. (Hint: Whole Lotta Dawg!) Freshman early enrollees Nakobe Dean and Lewis Cine stood out after their G-Day performances as they both proved their ability to make tackles. Cine led the Red team defense in tackles with 8 tackles and six of them were solo. While Dean was second on the Black team 5 tackles, and 2 were solo. The Top Dawgs on defense for both teams were Tyson Campbell (Black), and Lewis Cine. Campbell coming off a rollercoaster freshman season showed some real improvement on G-Day as he had one pass breakup and from what I saw didn't get beat in coverage. Campbell will be an integral part of the secondary and we need him to play well. Lewis Cine the freshman has shown nothing but the versatility and hard work since arriving on campus. He has been learning both of the safety positions this spring for Georgia and right now is in a real battle for playing time. Special Teams: B There wasn't much to grade the special teams on other than the starters. Rodrigo Blankenship kicked and made his only field goal from 23 yards and kicked it for a touchback twice on kickoffs. So he is undoubtedly our starting kicker. Camarda showed some improvement in the punting game, while also showing he could kick the ball, as he made a 49-yard field goal for the Dawgs. Nothing much to share about the kick returns as James Cook and Kearis Jackson handled it pretty well, it did look like Jackson might have been able to take back in a real game but the refs called it dead. Top Dawg on special teams goes to Jake Camarda as he showed improvement and potential to be Hot Rod's replacement. Overall: B- It was a pretty great day for Georgia as Kirby Smart said in his post-game press conference other than the rain and wind, Georgia fans went home happy with the effort that was displayed on the field by both teams and we all can't wait for football to come back in August. It was a wet, rainy, cold day in Athens as the Dawgs were set to kick off G-Day with a bang. 52 thousand Dawg fans made the drive to Sanford Stadium to get a glimpse at what the Dawgs will look like in the 2019 season after finishing last season with a disappointing 2 game losing streak. The Dawgs look to rid the minds of college football of those bad memories.
Team Red was led by the number 1 offense, as Jake Fromm was the quarterback for the red team, and he didn't play bad but didn't play perfectly like we would like him too. Fromm threw for 116 yards with 1 touchdown and 1 interception. Eric Stokes was the defensive back that caused the turnover and ended up taking it all the way to the endzone for 6. Stetson Bennett came in as relief for Jake, as Stetson earned a lot of respect last night for his play as he threw for 128 yards on 8-14 passing with 1 touchdown. Bennett played very well and showed why the coaching staff wanted him back. The run game was not the main focus for the Dawgs as D'Andre Swift only ran for 39 yards on 3 attempts. Herrian was by far the feature back as he picked up 25 yards on 7 attempts. The run game didn't produce on limited attempts but I expect great things from them. Charlie Woerner had a very productive game as the number one tight end as he picked up 44 yards on 5 receptions, showing he can produce for the Dawgs. Jeremiah Holloman had a shaky game as he was lined up against Eric Stokes who stole an interception. Holloman had 54 yards and 1 touchdown on 3 receptions, Brian Herrian produced through the air with 50 yards on 3 receptions and had 1 touchdown. The black team which was led by the number one defense produced some very fair results as they kept the number offense at bay. Eric Stokes, Tyson Campbell, and the whole Georgia secondary played very well and exceeded past expectations. Richard LeCounte had 8 tackles for the Dawgs, with Nakobe Dean right behind him with 5. Dwan Mathis stole the show on offense with 113 yards through the air on 15-28 passing for the Dawgs and he picked up 29 yards on the ground. Not only that but he showed the ability to pop out wide as he brought in a 39-yard touchdown for the Dawgs. A beautiful trick play which led to a great pass from Matt Landers. Trey Blount led the wideouts with 69 yards on 5 receptions, John Fitzpatrick had 32 yards on 5 receptions. The black team fought hard but couldn't answer back the Red offense as the Red team went on to win 22-17. Defeating the black team on a rainy G-Day. With G-Day quickly approaching Georgia fans are starting to get very anxious. G-Day is the first chance for all of DawgNation to watch this year's Georgia team compete in a real game situation. It will also give us a glimpse into the 14 members who have early enrolled as freshman in Athens.
We will also get a chance to see returning stars from the past two years, along with seeing which players could end up having a breakout season. So here are your five players to watch on G-Day. Tae Crowder, Middle Linebacker Georgia has done a terrific job recruiting at inside linebacker in the past two seasons as they look for a replacement for former Butkus award winner Roquan Smith who left Georgia for the NFL after the 2017 season. Tae Crowder has been a name that many Georgia fans haven't been talking about very much for the past three years because of the guy who was in front of him. Now heading into his senior season Crowder is expected to be named the starting MIKE for the Georgia Bulldogs on defense this year. With returning sophomores Channing Tindall and Quay Walker behind him in the depth chart, Crowder is hoping for success. Crowder has showed flashes of a being a great zone coverage linebacker who has the ability to take on a Tight End. Along with the ability to help stop a slot reciever in coverage. Look for Crowder to be the leading tackler for the first team defense. Brian Herrian, Running Back Another senior, who has been known for the guys in front of him on the depth chart. Herrian has played behind four great running backs in his past three seasons at Georgia. In his freshman and sophomore year he was provided the opportunity to play and learn behind Nick Chubb and Sony Michel one of the best running back tandems in college football history. Herrian played a limited role in those two seasons as they would call him name on goalline situations or even when they put the backups in. Then for his junior year he sat third on the depth chart behind Elijah Holyfield and D'Andre Swift both who rushed for 1,000 yards last season. Herrian now has the chance in his senior season to be one of the featured backs for Georgia in 2019. As he looks to take the role that was held by Elijah Holyfield and Nick Chubb for the past two years. Herrian is looking to be the featured powerback for Georgia who can eat up carries for the Dawgs and pick up key first downs. Herrian has shown chunks of potential in his three years, just go back and watch the Sugar Bowl where he was the best running back Georgia had. Look for number 35 to be the featured back on G-Day. Trey Hill, Center Trey Hill is coming off an outstanding freshman season where he bounced around on the depth chart, from being a guard to coming in for one game and playing at center. Which brings to the fact that Georgia lost it's starting center this past offseason to graduation. Lamont Gaillard was the ultimate product of Sam Pittman because it wasn't until Pittman came to UGA with coach Smart that Gaillard started to become the physical and dominant center that we know him today. Well after 4 season Gaillard has left UGA and is pursuing a career in the NFL. So who will replace him at that key position? All signs are pointing to returning sophomore Trey Hill who played center in one game last year for Georgia. That game was against Kentucky in which they clinched their spot in the SEC Championship game. Hill ended up impressing many with his poise and dominant play. Hill has shown the ability to be a key run blocker for the Dawgs along with being able to protect the quarterback. Hill exceeded expectations when he started in the SEC Championship game where he was line upped with Quinnen Williams a dominant defensive lineman from Alabama. Expect Hill to be a key player to G-Day success. Kearis Jackson, Wide Receiver This guy is someone you need to watch for the rest of the season, as he is expected to be getting some major snaps at that slot receiver position for Georgia this season. While many fans have their eyes set on Demetrius Robertson a talented former five star recruit and transferred from California last season. I have my eyes set on freshman redshirt Kearis Jackson. Jackson, a former four star recruit who arrived in Athens last spring and immediately impressed the staff with his work ethic. Jackson nearly earned himself a spot on the depth chart but was held back by an injury. Jackson playing in four game last season and ended up getting a redshirt. After losing three of the top receivers on the depth chart, Georgia is in need of a few new stars to prove themselves with a great performance at G-Day. Jackson is your guy to watch at receiver on G-Day as he is very quick and agile and should be playing in the slot. Divaad Wilson, Defensive Back A freshman redshirt who has only played one game for Georgia in his entire career. A former four star defensive back out of high school, Georgia had hopes that Wilson would develop into a key member of the Georgia secondary last season. But Wilson ended up tearing his knee in the winter last season and wasn't able to return until the Sugar Bowl. Wilson was able to dress for his first game against Auburn last year and was able to practice as well. So when the time came for him to play, he would ready and that he was. As in his first collegiate game Wilson recorded four tackles, 1 for a lost, and one pass breakup. Smart has said in the past that he is impressed with the potential in Wilson to be a good defensive back for Georgia. Now with him being healthy he is definitely a name to watch as maybe he will be the defensive back to step up and have a big G-Day. On Tuesday, it was announced that the University of Georgia has mutually agreed with Indiana State to cancel their 2023 game in Athens, Georgia. This news comes as in the past few weeks Georgia has been scheduling games with some of the top Power-5 schools in the nation.
Georgia in the past few weeks has announced games with Oregon in 2022, Clemson in 2024, a home and home series with UCLA in 2025 and 2026. Home and series with Florida State, and Texas. After years of Bulldog fans barking about the weak non-conference schedule that Georgia has been playing for the past decade. Under Kirby Smart, Georgia is starting to challenge themselves with marquee matchups in the future as Georgia has stated that if they want the best players in the country, they need to be playing the best teams in the country. Which is why Georgia is reportedly in talks with Oklahoma for a future home and home series, which would be a Rose Bowl rematch. |
Harrison Reno
Is the founder and author of Top Dawg Blogging. Harrison has been blogging for the past 4 years Archives
April 2020
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