About That Ealey Fumble

This is the only decent video I could find of the Washaun Ealey disastrous fumble from last Saturday. The play stars at the 50 second mark of the video:



I remember being upset that it looked like the official blew the whistle and marked Ealey down immediately. You can see from this video that one officially definitely spotted the ball down. My questions is whether or not a whistle blew. If it did, I hope the SEC at least gives a good slap on the wrist to this crew.

I realize that we still got whipped on almost all aspects of the game, so a bad call is no excuse for the loss.

Why did the coaching staff not raise hell? Does anyone know if the play was blown dead?

4th and 1, Two Minutes To Go In The 4th

I liken the situation that Mark Richt is in right now to a big football game. You have the ball with two minutes to go in the 4th quarter of a tied ball game, and it's 4th & 1. What are you going to do Coach Richt? Do you punt and play defense? Or, do you tell your team to give it all they've got and get the damn first down? All you need is one yard.

For ten years at UGA, Mark Richt has punted and trusted his players and coaches to win the game. At this point in this debacle of a season, it's time for Mark Richt to check himself. Do you want to go all in and see what kind of coach you really are, or do you want to "keep doing things the way we have been for years"?

I know what I would do if I were in his situation. I would take back control of my offense, trust Todd Grantham to get the defense in shape, and see if I could start to score some points. You're the head coach Mark, and your offense is sputtering, drastically. Don't fire Bobo, just simply say "step aside kid", and watch the man that designed some of the most feared offenses of the 90's go back to doing what he does best.

Richt is not a firey guy. Never has been, probably never will be. We all loved him none-the-less when he was winning. Now that he's losing, I hear people say they want Richt to "show some emotion". I don't want emotion from Richt, I want to put 50 points on the scoreboard this Saturday against a much less talented Colorado team (hell, I just want to win a game actually).

Richt, let Grantham be the emotional leader for this team, it's who he is. As for you, just go out there and start to gameplan putting points on the board!

Where Do We Turn Now Dawg Fans?

We play the most uninspired football I have seen. Where do we go from here? We may not be on the bottom, but I see the rocks.

Buck Belue, Do You Need A Hug?

According to Buck and Kincade, if you write a blog about UGA football, you must be some nerd that lives in your parent's basement. Well, I may be a nerd, but I live with my wife and little girl, and I would take a football X's & O's test versus Buck Belue any day of the week, and make a max bet on my chances at winning!

Buck Belue has spent the past two weeks bashing anyone that says one negative word about (his apparent new best friend) Mike Bobo.

A few of Buck's blogs and quotes from recently:
How Georgia Wins 24-7

"They say the 'Dogs can't run it, can't protect the kid QB, the playcaller is bad, the head coach can't motivate, the defense is blowing assignments, and can't stop good running backs or top-notch passing quarterbacks. Georgia is terrible, right?"

Good News For Dawg Fans

"Some of you have responded with some interesting emails over the last few days. A few of you have insisted that I apply for the OC job, if I know so much. Not a chance. If I was in Mike Bobo's spot, I would have told the lunatic fringe to stick it where the sun don't shine by now."

Circle The Wagons in Starkpatch

"The critics are out in the open full blast. Fire Richt. Fire Bobo. Some fans are killing them under the cover of some stupid blog name. Other fans are getting enjoyment out of websites designed to tear down this proud program. You've probably heard some furious fans saying something like this: "I'm not donating another dime to the program, because I deserve better than this." Had one guy at the coffee shop telling me how our blocking schemes were outdated. When I asked where he coached, he told me he was a roofer."

Ignorant To Blame Bobo

"I haven't heard any of this from Richt, Zeier, Greene, Stafford, or Shockley, but a portion of the Bulldog Nation is blaming Coach Mike Bobo for the 0-2 start in the SEC. The Blawgs are killing him. Fire him. A disaster. He's gotten worse every year. That's just a quick sample of what some Georgia fans are writing and saying. Man, that's cruel. Unmerciful. And uneducated."

Buck, with all due respect, facts are facts. When you're losing, you deserve criticism. Please tell me how you defend 21 play action passes last week when our running game was stinking it up? I mean, obviously you have a defense since Bobo deserves no blame according to you.

The Pre-Season's Over Boys!

The past can't be changed, the Dawgs are 1-2. What we can do is just "pretend" that the first two SEC games were just pre-season, and clean house from here on out! A 9 game winning streak could salvage everything that has been lost thus far.

Results or Reasons

I heard a speech yesterday from a high school football coach. In the speech, he was asked about a recent loss. He simply said, I could give you several reasons, but what people want are RESULTS.

Amen to that. The Dawgnation wants some results, and let's start with some positive ones tomorrow!

Dawgs 34 - Dogs 13

Coleman's Coins (Week 4)

FINALLY, a winning week last week for Coleman's Coins, going 3-1 in the four games that I chose.

This week, I am betting the house in one of the most false lines I have seen in a UGA spread in a while. I am a homer of course, but UGA +1 to Miss. State? Really?

$$$$$$$$$$
Georgia
Miss. State
Georgia +1

The Case For A New Play Caller At UGA

The Facts:
• UGA is (20-12) in the last 4 years in the SEC
• 2-6 over the past 8 games in the SEC
• UGA had inexperienced QBs to start the season in ’06, ’09, and the ’10 season
• Statistical analysis proves we run play action passes when a running game has not been established; at an alarmingly high rate! 20 or so PA passes last Saturday. Read here for a GREAT in depth analysis on last Saturday.
• Bobo had almost no coaching resume before coming to a Top Tier Division I program and getting the OC job.
• Mark Richt was once known as one of the greatest coordinators in college football.
• Matthew Stafford consistently had average at best statistics before being drafted #1 overall by the NFL.

I have read, read, and re-read articles, blogs, and statistical analysis until my eyes have no moisture left in them. I could probably write a 25,000 word essay on why Mike Bobo does not deserve to be the OC at UGA. I have no personal complaints about Mike Bobo the man, I just want what is best for my Dawgs. I feel strongly that March Richt is a superior option as head coach as long as he is willing to make the necessary changes.

It is time to start our search for a new OC. What are the odds that Mike Leach would come help us out for the remainder of the season? Maybe Mark Richt could rub off on the guy and teach him some people skills while he teaches us how to score points.

“Good offensive coaches have good systems. Great offensive coaches have good systems that they constantly adapt to personnel and what is happening during a game.”

I am tired of the same old system at UGA that we refuse to tinker with to take advantage of talents like Aaron Murray and Orson Charles, just to name a few.

Mark Richt, please make the change!

On an unrelated note: Thank you for your services during our 1980 season Buck Belue, but you sir, are a MORON. No wonder you just basically handed the ball off your whole career. You probably didn't understand the playbook other than the 3 plays you ran to Herschel.

Go Dawgs!

Changes Have To Be Made Richt, Or You Gotta Go!

I have been Mark Richt's #1 supporter since the day he took the helm in Athens. I gave him a ton of flack for not getting rid of Willie Martinez sooner, but still stood by him as a head coach. Either Mark Richt changes up this offensive staff immediately, or I will no longer defend him when the "hot seat" talk picks up steam.

After watching the debacle that just took place in Sanford stadium today, Mike Bobo has got to go. Immediately! The play calling for 3 quarters was some of the most comical stuff I have seen in a UGA football game in my life.

Aaron Murray, to you I say, GREAT game. You are a player, and I can't wait to see what we are going to get out of you over the next 4 years. Big time players make big time plays. Aaron Murray is a big time player, Mark Richt, so LET HIM PLAY!

Did A 12 Year Old Design Our Playbook?

I'm wondering who designed our plays? I have a twelve year old nephew that knows a thing or two about offense, and I want to see if he can have a shot at designing and calling plays for the Dawgs. Lord knows he would do a better job than what we have now. I am flabbergasted!

I've Said It Before, I'll Say It Again

The Dawgs are really missing the boat when it comes to AJ Johnson out of Gainesville High School. I've been watching the kid since the 6th grade, and he is more than legit. On a high school football field, AJ is a man among boys/toddlers. If you didn't have the chance to watch him single handedly dominate North Hall tonight, you missed a hell of a one man show. He WAS the Gainesville offense. That's right, he doesn't even usually play offense. Linebacker is where he is really special. COME ON DAWGS, make a last ditch attempt at this kid!

Bulldogs to Wear Logo on Helmets

Joanna McAfee Logos On UGA Helmets
I saw this on Georgiadogs.com this week, but here is a little more depth to the story. I lost a cousin, Tess, to childhood cancer when she was only 15, so the story hits home.

Hey Bobo, Betcha Won't Throw It 30 Times Tomorrow!

I actually hope we don't have to throw it 30 times, but if the situation calls for it, why not? After all, Bobo let Joe Cox throw it just under 30 times last year. If you think he has half the ability of Murray, then we may be in trouble anyways!

Coleman's Coins (Week 3)

So far, if you are betting against me, you are getting rich! Last week I was down -3 coins, for a grand total of -9 coins on the season. Let's hope/pray for a positive week this go round!

$
Louisville
OregonSt
Louisville +19.5

$
CincinnatiU
NCState
NCState -2
$
BYU
FloridaSt
FloridaSt -9.5

$
Arkansas
Georgia
Georgia -2

Are The Dawgs A Fraud?

Personally, I think this team has the potential to go at least 10-2. Only losing two games took a huge hit last week when we were smacked in the face by the Cocks. Now, this week will be a huge testament to what this team is really made of. My sportsbook has the opening line in the Dawgs' favor at -4. That means, Vegas thinks that Arkansas is coming into Athens, and they are going to keep the score really close in UGA's home stadium.

I figured the line would be even worse actually, but I'm sure it will be closer to Arkansas -1 by the time kickoff rolls around on Saturday. Heaven knows the betting public is most likely going to jump all over the Razorbacks as an underdog.

I think the Dawgs will take care of business Saturday because we match up much better against this team. I feared all along that a stout running game would give the Dawgs fits, and it did last Saturday. Against Arkansas, the Grantham 3-4 should be a perfect fit to stop that high flying Petrino attack. Justin Houston must be salivating to get a shot at Mallett dropping back 30-40 times.

If the Dawgs are exposed this week, they may be considered a "Fraud", but I just don't see it happening. After all, how can it be the Decade of the Dawg if we start out 1-2?

GO DAWGS!

Offensive Gameplans, Outside The Box

How many of you ever watch a college or NFL football game, and wonder what in the hell the coaches are thinking based on the plays that they call. I for one do it all the time. Do I get paid to coach high level football? No. Does that mean I don't know what I am talking about? Usually.

I realize that there are more than a fair share of armchair quarterbacks, Sunday morning quarterbacks, or whatever you want to call them. But, some of us may actually have a clue as to what we are talking about. I've spent the past few days reflecting on the HORRIBLE offensive play calling I witnessed during most of Saturdays game versus the Gamecocks. Was SC better than the Dawgs? One player was that's for sure, but a huge part of the Dawgs' inadequacies should be placed on the offensive play calling.

The fact that Mike Bobo is not a very good play caller has been lost in the shuffle over the past few years due to the more obvious terrible coaching of Willie Martinez. Now that we have a DC that knows what he is doing, it is time to concentrate on our under-performing offense. UGA has had too many weapons over the past several years that are not being utilized properly. A lot of it can be attributed to the fact that we are a conservative team by nature, so I will accept that, but wasting talent is something that disgusts any sports fanatic.

I may be going out on a limb here, but I feel strongly that Aaron Murray is a special player, and Saturday was a joke when it comes to using his talents. Why do the Dawgs always seem to never, EVER, think outside of the box on offense? Why do we not adjust our "gameplan" to fit what is going on during the actual game? Do you think Steve Spurrier constantly follows some play call sheet he created the week before? Hell no he doesn't! He's known as the evil genius because of his remarkable ability to call plays on the fly and adjust to what works and what a team is giving him during a game. Sure he uses an outline, but the man uses what's in front of him when the game is being played.

Saturday, Aaron Murray was poised to place the Dawgs on his shoulders and throw the ball 30-40 times, or run it when needed, but he was limited by coaching. I read yesterday where Buck Belue said the following:

Do I blame Bobo and Richt for a bad offensive gameplan? No. A bad plan would have been to ask Aaron Murray to win it, by throwing it 40 times, without Green.

Come on Buck, you're smarter than that!

Why not let a kid have his coming out party?

Bobo's A Dodo

I have a habbit of making T-shirts all the time. I have tried to give Mike Bobo the benefit of the doubt for the past several years, but it is obvious he needs to step on the same train that sent Willie on his merry way. Bobo's got to go because...

Just Let Murray Throw The Damn Ball Bobo

When you're down 14-3, and your quarterback has obviously got what it takes to sling it...just put the game on #11's shoulders, let him throw it 40+ times, and give him his coming out party!

I love the running game as much as anybody, but what is Bobo doing with his play calling? You're down by two scores, the clock is ticking, and Murray is hitting almost every damn pass he throws! 6/6 passing on a beautiful drive, and what do we do? Run the ball and fumble!

Knee-jerk post game thoughts:
-bad tackling
-decent half time adjustments by the defense
-Aaron Murray is legit
-Mike Bobo CANNOT call plays
-Richt better open things up, or I will start to actually entertain some of that "hotseat" talk I've been hearing
-Why in the HELL are we not letting Murray use his running ability more?
-we need a big nose guard to plug up the middle, or any running game will dominate us.

NCAA Player Compensation

A friend of mine, Jon, sent me an email last night about a blog I should write concerning player compensation. While I am on the fence about paying NCAA athletes, the idea is definitely something I have thought about. Jon's family immigrated from England, so he is a soccer fan by birth, but has a new found love for college football over the past few years since he has "seen the light". The email Jon sent is posted below:

You should write a blog on how the NCAA should allow a small position stipend that's the same for all colleges nation wide. Something like:

QBs:

1 on the depth chart - 5K a year
2 on the depth chart - 3K a year
3 on the depth chart - 1K a year

RBs:

1 on the depth chart - 4K a year
2 on the depth chart - 2K a year
3 on the depth chart - 1K a year

Whatever. Something along those lines. The numbers would be designed via a committee, and maybe you don't make distinctions between depth chart position. Maybe QBs all get 5k a year or something. Heck, maybe every player gets a few K a year.

Surely they can come up with some system that is better than the current one. AJ Green is gonna be a multi-millionaire in two years, but he feels he has to sell his freaking jersey now to get some extra cash? Meanwhile, UGA pulls in millions a year because of the players on that team. It's ridiculous.

I think he has a decent point here. How about Tyrone Prothro several years back? Do you think he was primed to make millions before his career ended in one sad play? What are your thoughts?

GREENOUT, Calling All Dawgs

Often times, I am behind the curve when it comes to getting my blogs posted, so I like to veer from the hot topic just a bit. The entire football nation is talking about AJ Green's suspension today, and rightfully so. Matt Hinton says it best when he explains why the NCAA is completely screwing AJ, UGA, and the Bulldawg Nation!

I propose a protest of sorts to the NCAA in response to the overly harsh ruling on our beloved AJ Green. Let's all wear green UGA shirts to the game in Columbia this Saturday! I am usually opposed to team shirts that aren't the right color, but for this, I will make an exception for the following reasons:

1) AJ's last name is Green!
2) The Cocks wear a shade of red, so green will make a nice contrast to show support.
3) AJ is suspended because of the green he earned off selling his jersey.
4) The NCAA makes me want to puke green sometimes.
5) The grass in Williams-Brice stadium is green.

OK, it's starting to get a little silly.

This Saturday, I will bleed RED, BLACK, & GREEN because I still love you AJ!

The Grantham Black Pack

I have only been worshiping the Georgia Bulldogs for about the past 15 years or so. The portion of my life prior to that was spent as a child that just loved Uga, Hairy Dawg, the Power G, and the colors Red & Black. That being said, I have rarely seen a Dawgs' defense play as well as they did last Saturday. I'm going to start calling this group the "Grantham Black Pack" (see T-shirt above).

I will be the first to realize that we were playing a significantly lesser opponent. Nonetheless, the defense was playing very disciplined, they were swarming to the ball, and the speed looked top notch at virtually every position.

It is exciting to see that we have a group that act like a bunch of ball hawks! I'll finish my rant with a few highlights from last Saturday.
-How about those first half stats!!!
-Chris Low brags on the defensive coaching at UGA. Haven't heard that since CVG!
-Spurrier says the Dawgs have the best pass rush in the nation!
-Akeem Dent and Boykin are going to thrive in this scheme!

Coleman's Coins (Week 2)

I hope you didn't follow my advice too much last week! I played 12 coins and came away in the red. I start week 2 of the college football season at -6 coins.

Each coin = $

$
LSU
Vanderbilt
LSU -10
The Tigers looked weak last week, but Vandy is bad!

$
Georgia
SCarolina
Georgia +3
Yes, I am a homer, but the Dawgs take this one!

$$$$
GaTech
Kansas
GaTech -13.5
Really? Tech by a BUNCH!

$
FloridaSt
Oklahoma
FloridaSt +8
Sooners looked bad, Seminoles looked lights out!

$$
Auburn
MississippiSt
Auburn -2
Auburn is my sleeper in the SEC.

Aaron Murray Has The IT Factor

I was chomping at the bit Saturday night to write a blog about Aaron Murray's performance in his first ever career start for the Dawgs. People have been saying it since he was a junior, and I have hoped and prayed it was true. Aaron Murray may just be one of those players that has the "IT" factor. He's below average height for a top QB, his arm is not phenomenal (as made evident by his attempt to throw it out of the end zone, YIKES), and he doesn't have world class speed, but....

Murray's first half stats were really good, and I LOVED the touchdown to end the half, even if it was a bit risky to give up a sure 3 points. Murray seemed at times to have eyes in the back of his head when he was flushed out of the pocket. The one play when he scrambled and hit Orson Charles on a "come back to the QB" was probably my favorite play of the game. It was a close race with that play, and the one where Murray avoided a sack and ran out of bounds to burn a play. When a QB learns that sometimes you have to eat the ball, it's a HUGE step in the right direction.

There is no real way to describe what is meant by the "IT" factor. It may be defined different depending on who you talk to. Tim Tebow had it at UF, Brett Favre has it anytime he plays, Montana had it, does Murray? If he does, this may be the beginning of something very, very special.

Boise State Proved Me Wrong

I made a mistake once before. Then I found out that I just thought I was wrong, and upon further investigation, my assumed mistake was a mistake. Last night, BSU jumped on Va Tech before they knew what hit them.

To make a long story short; I didn't even have a chance to watch any of the game last night because I was returning from a family beach trip. Boise State fans, players, and staff, to you I say "I am sorry". You played one of your two games you have to prepare for in the regular season last night, and came out victorious.

I still say this is what would happen if Boise played UGA's schedule.

The Decade of the DAWG Eve

A few months ago, I began using the term "Decade of the Dawg". I'm sure it has been used before, so let me know if someone owns the copyright. As we sit here today, anxiously awaiting the 12:21 kickoff at Sanford Stadium tomorrow, I would like to reflect on why this season is going to be special. Take a look at my original DOTD post here:

-Decade of the Dawg

Everyone that will be in Athens tomorrow, please cheer a little extra for me because I will be absent from my first home opener in 12 years. While this saddens me, I am a married family man now, and a free beach trip one out over watching the STOMPING that will take place tomorrow. Please feel free to chastise me all you want about missing this amazing experience. If you will, please also give me advice on how to convince my wife and 4 year old, that the Dawgs reign supreme over a free beach trip!

If Boise State Played In The SEC

I have written about my disdain for Boise State getting so much attention in the past. For instance, we all know what happened in the UGA v. BSU game.

Since the hype is going crazy again this year, I thought it would be fun to take a look at what would happen if Boise State had the same schedule as the Dawgs this year. Here are my predictions as to what the outcome would be.

Sep. 4 Louisiana-Laf. - BSU rolls (1-0, 0-0)
Sep. 11 at S Carolina - BSU loses (1-1, 0-1)
Sep. 18 Arkansas - Mallet throw for 400 yards (1-2, 0-2)
Sep. 25 at Miss. State - BSU gets first SEC win (2-2, 1-2)
Oct. 2 at Colorado - BSU wins (3-2, 1-2)
Oct. 9 Tennessee - UT is down (4-2, 2-2)
Oct. 16 Vanderbilt - BSU slams (5-2, 3-2)
Oct. 23 at Kentucky - BSU squeaks (6-2, 4-2)
Oct. 30 at Florida - LOL (6-3, 4-3)
Nov. 6 Idaho St. - BSU can breath (7-3, 4-3)
Nov. 13 at Auburn - AU rolls (7-4, 4-4)
Nov. 27 Ga Tech - hmmm (7-5, 4-4)

I really thought about each one of these games, and gave the benefit of the doubt to BSU pretty much every time I was unsure. A realistic record for the Broncos would be 7-5 with the very same schedule that the Dawgs will play this year. Even if you adjust for a 1 game margin of error, BSU is sitting at 8-4 (best case) or 6-6.

I would love to hear some other opinions on this subject. Let me have it!

Coleman's Coins (Week 1)

I love to gamble, er uh, I mean PICK the winners of a few college football games every week. I have been doing this for about the past 10 years, and I only gamble with coins; chocolate coins of course! Since I am wasting, er uh, I mean spending a lot of my time every week writing about the Dawgs on www.UGABlog.com, I thought I would start a weekly blog that picks my favorite games of the week. Let's call these picks "Coleman's Coins".

Each coin will be represented by a ($), and rated on a scale as follows:
$ = 1 coin
$$ = 2 coins
$$$ = 3 coins
$$$$= 4 coins

S Mississippi @ S Carolina (-13.5)
$$
I think the Ol' Ball Coach is sandbagging about Garcia.
SC wins 30-10

UL Lafayette @ Georgia (-28)
$
The only thing stopping this from being a 3 coiner is Murray's rawness.
UGA wins 48-13

Kentucky @ Louisville (+3)
$
Louisville starts out STRONG in 2010.
Louisville wins 24-20

UCLA (+1.5) @ Kansas St
$$
KSU got beat by the Cajuns last year, and are looking at a 5-7.
UCLA wins 24-17

Oregon St @ TCU (under 50.5)
$$$
Don't underestimate that Horned Frog defense.
TCU wins 24-13

Boise St (N) Virginia Tech (N) (+2.5)
$$$
Do I even have to explain how much I hate the BSU hype?
V Tech wins 24-21



All lines are as of midnight on 8/31/10, and they are retrieved from www.SPORTSBOOK.com.