Georgia's offense has posted 838 yards and 93 points in the past two games, all of which leads quarterback Joe Cox to ask one important question: What the heck happened against Oklahoma State?
It's a night and day difference between the slugging, vanilla and low-scoring performance of Georgia's first game of the season and the dynamic, high-octane efforts of the past two games. After Georgia posted 52 points and more than 500 yards of offense on Arkansas last week, Cox and his fellow offensive stars spent the bus ride to the airport wondering why they couldn't create that same magic right from the start.
"It just doesn’t even feel like it happened," Cox said. "It’s just so weird that that game – it’s almost like it just flew by and we were all kind of like, what was that? Now looking back, it really disappoints you knowing that you can play a lot better and what could have happened if you’d have played like that against them."
Rather than being 3-0 and likely inside the top 10, Georgia took its first loss of the year early.
Rather than earning the respect of critics, Cox suffered through two weeks of reports questioning both his health and his ability.
Rather than heading into the fourth game of the season knowing they'd given it their all, Georgia's offense is stuck with the memory of the one that got away -- a memory made even worse by Oklahoma State's loss to Houston just one week later.
“I’m still kicking myself from that," said receiver A.J. Green, who had just 52 yards receiving against the Cowboys -- less than one-quarter the total he'd post during his next two contests. "I don’t know what happened that game. And then they lost – that really made it worse.”
It's enough to make Georgia's players sick to think about -- only one of them actually was sick during the game.
Cox had suffered from flu symptoms in the days leading up to the contest and took a late flight to Stillwater for the game. He said he was fine to play, but later admitted to needing an IV before the game.
The result was a dismal performance for Cox. He completed just 50 percent of his passes, turned the ball over twice, and Georgia mustered 177 yards of offense in the game following an opening touchdown drive. Worse, Cox's arm looked incapable of hitting the deep ball to stretch the field.
Considering Cox's impressive performances the past two weeks -- 35-of-49 for 576 and seven TDs, including more than a dozen deep bombs -- begs the question: Just how sick was he?
“Flu or no flu, I know I didn’t play like I needed to play," Cox said. "So it wouldn’t even be worth chalking a loss up to being sick because you know even if you were sick, there were things you could have done better. I wouldn’t even accredit that loss to anything that had to do with the flu.”
That's essentially the conclusion the players came to on that bus ride following the win at Arkansas.
Yes, they let one get away. No, they didn't give it their best effort against Oklahoma State. But the bottom line is that it's over, and there's nothing they can do now to change the outcome.
What it will do, however, is keep them motivated the rest of the way to ensure there aren't more regrets down the road.
"That (loss) will drive you crazy if you think about that all day," Cox said. But we definitely are glad we’ve improved since then. We by no means have arrived, and we keep preaching that to everybody. I think we’ve got a really good work ethic right now.”
Showing posts with label Oklahoma State. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Oklahoma State. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Monday, September 7, 2009
Grading the Game: Oklahoma State
Before we get to handing out some ugly grades, let's answer a few of the comments from yesterday...
(Oh, and a quick note, this is probably a record long post, so you may want to print it out and take it someplace comfortable.)
Anonymous writes: My hope is that OSU is really good - no make that great - if not.........
DH: My first inclination after a bad loss is always to go in the opposite direction of the natural instinct, to take a calm, analytical approach and essentially ask the question: Was it really that bad?
As Anonymous points out, Georgia did lose to the No. 9 team in the country. The Dawgs did essentially shut down the Okie State offense in terms of overall productivity. Unless there was more to the game on Thursday that I didn't see, there's no chance South Carolina is going to be as good as the Cowboys.
But did Georgia really lose to the ninth-best team in the country? I don't think so. Oklahoma State really did all it could to keep Georgia in that game. OSU shot itself in the foot with 15 penalties -- FIFTEEN! -- that made Georgia's defense look a little better than they probably played. And it wasn't as if OSU won the turnover battle 3-0 simply because the Cowboys were doing a great job of securing the ball. Georgia simply didn't capitalize on at least three gifts the Pokes gave them.
So, in my humble opinion, I think Anonymous will be disappointed. Georgia definitely did not lose to a great team, and I'd be willing to say they didn't lose to a really good team either.
Anonymous writes: Richard Samuel - Do the coaches coach this kid?? I saw zero improvement over last year. He still goes down on first contact, he doesnt protect the football with both arms (EVER), and he might as well just cut off his non ball carrying arm. Does he know what a stiff arm is? With his size and speed, he should be coached up to run through tackles, use his lower body strength, WAKE UP AND RUN THE BALL LIKE A FOOTBALL PLAYER. If this kid had ANY football instincts, he could be great...but at this point, we should just yank his scholarship cause he is a waste of a physical specimen.
DH: OK, so this is why I say it's important to keep some perspective. This comment about Samuel was not entirely different from similar ones I got about Joe Cox, Mike Bobo, Bryan Evans, Jon Fabris or Mark Richt.
Folks, I'm not saying you should be thrilled about anything that happened out on the field Saturday, but remember that it was one game against a decent enough opponent, and while the offense looked bad, the unit was also essentially starting from scratch in terms skill position players. Let's at least wait to see what happens in Week 2 before we fire Richt, bench Cox and boot Samuel off the team.
SilverDawg writes: We need the fire of an Erk Russell. One would be great. Two or three even better. Without "fire in the belly" it's just an empty stomach.
DH: I understand the fan reaction to say, "These guys just didn't want it enough." You watch on TV and you REALLY want it, then you don't see the results. It's a natural reaction.
But I can assure you, Georgia WANTED this game. I was in the interview room afterward. I know what the mood was. There wasn't any loafing on the field or any excuses afterward.
Last year, I might have agreed that the team lack the "want to." Saturday, however, wasn't about "want." It was all about game plan and execution, and Georgia simply didn't get the job done.
(As a side note: A number of people compared Georgia's attitude to Alabama's and said it showed the Bulldogs lacked intensity. I'd like to remind people about what they were saying last season when the "intense" Bulldogs were racking up 11 or 12 penalties a game and the outcry was to tone it down.)
If there's anything encouraging to take from the game -- and there's not much -- I think it's how much heart the D showed after going one series after another with bad field position. Last year, that was essentially a free touchdown because the D showed virtually no heart in the face of adversity. That wasn't the case Saturday, and Willie and Co. deserve some credit for that. (Which is not to say I don't have other criticisms to level in their direction, just that heart isn't one of them.)
Anonymous writes: Have the coaches addressed the use of Brandon Smith on offense? It seemed as though he touched the ball more than Carlton Thomas and had more passes thrown his way than Tavaris King. Do the coaches have more confidence in Smith with the ball in his hands than Wooten or Brown? I was not impressed with SMith's continuous running from the end zone on kick returns or the interference with Miller's efforts to down a punt inside the five. Smith just seemed like a true freshman caught up in the game, which is understandable, but should he have played that big of a part in his first game?
DH: Here's what I think this came down to: Georgia's coaches didn't believe they had more than one or two reliable playmakers, so they designed a few low-risk plays to give Smith because his speed put him in a position to make something happen -- which to me is essentially the football equivalent of throwing you-know-what against a wall and seeing what sticks.
Of course, even if you're going to do that, why would you not at least put Marlon Brown out on the field? His size alone creates a mismatch that at least would have forced Okie State to rethink things a bit, regardless of whether or not you plan to throw him the ball.
(One other side note -- After Smith brought out the first kick from 7 yards deep, how is it that no one on that sideline grabbed him and said "Do not let that happen again!"? Instead, he did the same thing on the next play. I get it. He's a freshman and he's confident. I don't blame him. You have coaches for a reason.)
Anonymous writes: Why no qb change considering Joe C had the flu? first game of the year our substituting was poor , 35 and 22 etc played to much on special teams. And our starting corners were returning kicks , maybe later in the season but thought we needed to save our playmakers on d.
DH: I don't want to pick on our anonymous commenter here, because he was hardly alone in expressing this sentiment. But didn't we spend the whole offseason arguing about how Georgia needed to use more skill guys on special teams? Can't have it both ways.
I think using some top players on ST is great. What I can't understand is why even with those better players, you still can't cover a kick. Perhaps it's that you keep returning to a philosophy that has not worked over and over.
And one other thing on the kickoffs: I have trouble pinning too much of that on Blair. For the most part, he put the ball where he was asked. It's the plan that was flawed, not Blair's kicking.
Chillydawg writes: I’m sure the first series of the game was scripted and was executed well, one reason we took the ball down and scored. After that, the offense was a Hodge podge of nothing. The o- line played well for the most part but we did nothing to keep them off balance – to slow down their rush, make them think to slow down their aggression. We were so simple. No draws to slow them down, no screens or counters (that I can remember) to take advantage of the aggressiveness. Just plan old zone dives and toss. Bobo’s grade - F
DH: I couldn't have possibly said this any better. A "hodge podge" is exactly what Bobo threw out there. The first drive was surgical in its precision, and Georgia looked good. There was a plan. The offense looked dynamic. It looked in rhythm.
What followed was a mess. There was no plan, no direction, no philosophy... nothing. How can that be when Georgia's coaches had longer to prepare for this game than any they'll have the rest of the way?
Also, I wanted to go back to this quote Mark Richt gave just one week ago after practice:
“If you’re not quite sure of all your personnel, you’re more apt to make sure the right guys are getting the ball, which is not as much fun as a coordinator,” Richt said. “When you’re sitting there going, ‘Well, so-and-so is in the game, so I’ve got to do this or that,’ I hope that we don’t have to do that. We’re not going into this game saying that’s what we’re going to do because we feel like we’ve got to let these guys go out there and make plays.”
Either something happened in the week between Richt expressing that sentiment and the game, or he was simply being visibly confident in front of the media while not really believing the words he was saying in private. Georgia's offense Saturday was exactly the opposite of his stated plan. It was every bit the "Well, so-and-so is in the game, so I've got to do this or that." There was no imagination, no plan, and a complete reliance on Richard Samuel and A.J. Green to be the lone playmakers.
I said this soon after Stafford and Moreno decided to head to the NFL: This year's team will be defined by the coaching staff. There is talent on the roster, but it's inexperienced, unpolished. It will take some dynamic thinking and some exceptional teaching to ensure that talent shows up on the field every Saturday because the parts that Georgia has to work with aren't the typical puzzle pieces the coaching staff has had to put together in the past.
After watching the game unfold Saturday, I haven't changed that opinion much, but I'm significantly less confident that the coaching staff can -- or worse yet, is willing to -- put that puzzle together.
Now to the grades...
QUARTERBACKS: Joe Cox will take the brunt of this loss. It's a role I'm sure he'd happily take regardless. And no, he didn't play well.
There were several passes it simply looks like Cox can't make. There was a throw in the second quarter down the middle -- about a 15-yarder -- to Aron White that was batted away downfield by an OSU linebacker. It needed zip and it had none. With Stafford's arm, it was a completion for a long gain. Cox didn't come close to getting the ball past the defender. On another deep ball to A.J. Green, Cox badly underthrew his open receiver, and Green was relegated to playing defensive back to prevent a pick by Perrish Cox.
More concerning still was some of the fundamental flaws Cox exhibited. The sales pitch with Joe was all about his accuracy and decision making. While a number of his passes should have been caught -- think the Orson Charles drop or the one that tipped off Michael Moore's hands in the fourth quarter -- they weren't exactly on target either. Cox's passes were often a touch behind a receiver, which is concerning since that was supposed to be his strength. Cox also hung on to the ball longer than he should have and often focused too much on his first target -- which may, of course, have been the result of the fact that he wasn't given a second target.
Having said all that, Cox receivers let him down. The drops were bad, but the sheer lack of any second target beyond Green made his job nearly impossible. Add to that the potential effects of the flu and you've got a recipe for a long afternoon.
The popular sentiment now seems to be -- get him outta there! I know I'm not the first to say this, but please folks, think about what you're saying. For one, we have no idea how much of that performance was "the real Joe Cox" or how much of his struggles were related to his health. He deserves more than one chance to show what he can do.
Secondly, it's very easy to be enthusiastic about Logan Gray or Aaron Murray before you see them on the field. Remember what 2006 was like when Matthew Stafford first took over? And trust me, neither Gray nor Murray are anywhere close to as ready to play as Stafford was.
That said, I think putting Gray in for a series would have been a worthwhile idea Saturday, if for no other reason that to simply give the OSU defense something else to think about and for the Georgia coaches to see what they have in Gray.
Instead, I think the fact that the game stayed as close as it did sort of left the coaches in no man's land -- how do you roll the dice when you're only down a touchdown? Of course, that assumes they had a plan to begin with, which is tough to find any evidence to support.
Final grade: C-
RUNNING BACKS: There were times Richard Samuel looked pretty impressive. He showed nice speed and an impressive ability to bounce the ball outside and make things happen. I know fans are going to point to what he could have done vs. what he actually did, which is fair. Samuel left a lot of yards on the field. But he was also Georgia's only real productive player for much of the game, and he did hang on to the football, which had to be considered a minor victory. And while Samuel could have done more, the kid did have 87 yards and only two of his 20 carries went for zero or negative yards. If Georgia had won, I'm not sure he'd be getting nearly the criticism he has now. He was hardly the weak point of the offense.
The bigger problem was the playcalling. When Mike Bobo needed to stretch the field, he stuck with the run. When the run appeared to be working early, he got away from Samuel in the second quarter and the wheels came off the offense.
I liked the use of Branden Smith as a runner, even if it didn't amount to much offensively. If they go to Smith enough, eventually he's going to break one.
I didn't like Carlton Thomas' performance, obviously. Thomas showed flashes of why he's so impressive, but it was only when he got the ball in space. On direct handoffs when he tried to go between the tackles, it was a disaster, including the costly fumble. I hate to be yet another critic piling on the kid for his size, but if Saturday was any indication, he's going to have a very tough time running against much bigger and better fronts in the SEC.
Caleb King was missed in this game. Another option to go with Samuel would have been helpful.
Final grade: C
RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS: There's really nothing that can be said that's particularly positive here. Mark Richt complimented Tavarres King, but one catch for four yards and another miss that led to Cox's INT doesn't seem like getting the job done to me.
Green was blanketed most of the game, and the coaching staff waited too long to try to find other ways to get the ball in his hands.
Michael Moore was a non-factor with the exception of his 4-yard TD reception. His drop in the fourth quarter was particularly troubling.
Aron White and Orson Charles also had drops, but it was a good sign that both were open routinely. Still, they have to make plays when the opportunity comes their way.
The big question, however, is where the heck were Marlon Brown and Rantavious Wooten (or Israel Troupe for that matter)?
Georgia essentially went with just three wide receivers the entire game, which no doubt took its toll. Moore said he took 55 snaps alone, but more troubling was the reaction from his coach, who Moore said didn't realize that Brown, Wooten and Troupe had been absent.
"Coach Ball is in the box, so he doesn't have direct contact with us, and he didn't realize that until the end of the game," Moore said. "We didn't know what the rotation was going to be like and we basically stuck with just the three guys."
I'm not going to pin this on Tony Ball without talking to him first, but if the coaches really weren't aware that they had only used three wide receivers, that is a serious problem.
Regardless, no one I've asked seems to have any better explanation for why Brown and Wooten didn't get in the game, and it doesn't sound like it was the most popular decision with the other players.
"I'm not sure why we didn't sub some other people in," Cox said. "That's not my decision. Whatever reason Coach Bobo and the other coaches did that for, you'd have to ask them."
"With some of the things they were doing on defense, our playcalling was more limited that what we thought coming into the game," White said. "We have a lot more that we could throw out there. I feel like a lot of our weapons on offense weren't completely utilized to their potential."
Even if you're not sure what to expect from Brown and Wooten, isn't it better to at least find that out in a non-conference road game than be left with the same indecision and doubt against South Carolina? And even if you weren't going to throw to Brown, doesn't just having him on the field create enough of a mismatch for the defense that it opens up another avenue? I just don't get this at all.
Final grade: F
OFFENSIVE LINE: This was far from the dominant performance that many had expected.
The line opened up some holes in the running game, but Richt said they often struggled to remain engaged long enough for the tailbacks to finish a run.
"There was a couple times when we just didn't finish blocks," Richt said. "Schematically we were creating good space, but if we'd have stuck on our blocks a little bit better, we might have broken some big runs."
And the pass blocking was better, but not great.
"It wasn't flawless by any means," Richt said. "The sack that caused the fumble was a protection issue. Most of the time we protected well, but that time in particular it wasn't very good."
Add to that the season-ending injury to Trinton Sturdivant, and suddenly things aren't looking as rosy as they once were for the O line, which is particularly troubling since Oklahoma State's front four was nowhere near the biggest Georgia will see this season.
Final grade: C
DEFENSIVE LINE: The good news: Georgia did a decent job containing the run, holding Kendall Hunter to just 3.3 yards per carry and effectively shutting down Oklahoma State's ground game between the tackles.
Now the bad news: Once again there were no sacks and the perimeter containment was less than spectacular.
Again, you could blame the players, but read what Jeff Owens has to say first:
"If you watched the film, it was all play action and he tried to get out of the pocket," Owens said. "I can't remember one time of all 36 snaps I played that he dropped back and threw the football -- not one. It was a quick slant or the play action. I guess they knew we were going to try to get up field and rush the passer because there was never a five-step drop or seven-step drop and throw the football. It was tough for us. The one deep ball Dez Bryant went, it was play action. The two tackles, they pulled the guard, so we were playing run first and trying to convert to pass. There was never an, OK, we'll play the pass first. It was a good game plan because I guess they knew we were going to get upfield."
It sounds to me like this was yet another example of Georgia being outcoached and Oklahoma State being significantly better prepared.
I'll give a slight nod to Rodney Garner and Willie Martinez for mixing things up and using Geno Atkins at D-end, but he finished with just one tackle, so the experiment was hardly a resounding success.
One other tip o' the cap to Georgia's goal-line D, which was much improved from last year. They didn't make anything easy for the Cowboys.
Final grade: C
LINEBACKERS: I'm not sure why Rennie Curran wasn't on the field at a couple of key moments. I'm not sure at what point Marcus Dowtin was on the field enough to compile a team-high eight tackles. I'm not sure what happened to Akeem Dent, who was a complete non-factor. I'm not sure why Darryl Gamble essentially disappeared in the second half. I'm not sure why underneath routes were open for much of the game for Oklahoma State or why tight end Wilson Youman was wide open for a key 25-yard reception. I think the defense played pretty well overall, as did the linebackers, but this wasn't their finest hour.
Final grade: C+
DEFENSIVE BACKS: I know this wasn't a perfect day by any stretch of the imagination for Georgia's secondary, but on the whole I thought they played pretty well, all things considered.
On the down side: No interceptions, despite multiple opportunities; The awful flag on Reshad Jones, which was a clean hit for sure; Brandon Boykin and Bryan Evans each getting burned by Dez Bryant for touchdowns; The middle of the field was open too often.
The upside was better though. Evans played safety a lot like he played corner, which is a bit like having Brad Lidge as your closer. You know the talent is there, but it's always an adventure. Still, that hit he had to separate Bryant from the ball in the first half was a work of art.
For it being his first real action of his career, Boykin was very good. Yes, Bryant beat him for the one TD, but that was A.) only after the Jones' flag, and B.) bound to happen when you have a player as good as Bryant get that many chances. The fact that Bryant was held to just three catches and Zac Robinson completed just 11-of-22 passes tells me that for the most part, this was a winning performance by the secondary. The offense just couldn't make it stand up.
Special kudos to Vance Cuff, too. He played particularly well in reserve duty.
Final grade: B
SPECIAL TEAMS: Quite simply, I don't have the energy to go through all this again.
You all know the drill:
-- Why is Branden Smith taking the ball out of the end zone twice?
-- Why was Georgia blocking in the back to screw Prince Miller... again?
-- Why is Georgia still kicking directionally when it hasn't worked any of the 1,845 other times.
Drew Butler had a nice game and was clearly the bright spot for Georgia -- and I mean that overall, not just on special teams.
Blair Walsh showed why he's a valuable asset worth protecting by booting a 53-yard field goal that was meaningful at the time. Of course, if kickoffs eat away at him again like they did last year, you can probably count on a slump on field goals, too. Because, you know, who cares about protecting a kicker's psyche, right?
Something needs to be done here, and I'm at a loss to understand how Richt can listen to one man's opinion when the results aren't there while simultaneously ignoring so many knowledgeable people who have other ideas.
Final grade: D (with Butler really bringing up the class average)
COACHING: We discussed the lack of playing time for the receivers, and that must be blamed on the coaches.
We discussed that the offense was surprised by what Oklahoma State did on defense. That has to be blamed on the coaches.
We discussed the "hodge podge" play calling, and that has to be blamed on the coaches.
We discussed that Georgia's pass rush continued to play the run despite Oklahoma State gashing them with the play action, and that has to be blamed on the coaches.
We discussed the directional kicking and its utter failure, and that has to be blamed on the coaches.
We discussed the fact that, even after a full offseason and five weeks of preseason, Georgia still appeared unprepared and confused on offense, and that has to be blamed on the coaches.
We mentioned the numerous players who missed time while getting IVs during the game, and the lack of proper conditioning for the weather has to be blamed on the coaches.
Listen, it was hot on the field. I was down there, so I can vouch for it. But how hot was it really?
I got this email from a reader named John, who was sitting just two rows up in the stands: "It wasn't that hot! I had about 8 beers before the game and only drank one cup of sprite durning the game."
John wasn't putting in the same effort as Georgia's players, but the players also (hopefully) hadn't had eight beers before the game (although that might explain a lot).
But when it comes to illustrating just how bad the coaching was in this game, I think these two quotes sum it up best.
The first, from Coach A: "Earlier in the game (we) should have varied what (we) did and tried to open it up a little more. We wanted to establish the run and ball control and it started out well, and it just came down to execution and (we) didn’t do a very good job of spreading it out or spreading the field.”
The second, from Coach B: "I felt like (we) didn’t give (Samuel) enough chance to make plays. We really felt like he’s a playmaker and we wanted to give him 25-plus carries. I don’t know what we ended up with, but not enough.”
Now, you're probably reading those quotes and getting a little concerned that there's a clear rift in the philosophy of two of Georgia's offensive coaches. Rightly so. Clearly one guy favors featuring the run, while the other guy thinks that the reliance on the run prevented Georgia from opening things up and stretching the field.
To have two coaches disagree so fundamentally would be concerning. What's even more concerning, however, is that both of those quotes came from Mike Bobo following the game.
Georgia came into Saturday's contest unsure of what its identity was offensively, and that's unacceptable when the coaches had the past five weeks to figure it out.
But what's far worse is that they'll go into this Saturday's game with the exact same dilemma.
Final grade: F-
THE VENUE: As a special bonus for away games, I figure it's worth grading the venue for the game. A few thoughts...
-- I'm a big fan of the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport, where I had a layover on both legs of the trip. Easy to maneuver, clean, some good places to eat. Also the overhead placards that give directions around the airport all said "toilets" rather than "restrooms." Nice touch, Texas.
-- I stayed in Tulsa, which was not nearly as bad as I had assumed. Went out for a bit Friday night and found a good little entertainment district. Also got to shoot a game of pool with the Bulldog in Exile and his lovely wife, Mrs. Exile. Good times all around.
-- The drive to the game wasn't bad, but the tolls into Stillwater required exact change, which I didn't have. Enterprise Rent-A-Car can be expecting a fine shortly.
-- It was a breeze getting in and out of the stadium, the fans were all very friendly and cordial, and the stadium was well-appointed. I will say though, I can't quite figure where they spent all that money, because while the stadium was nice, it certainly wasn't impressive. But I also wasn't invited into any of the luxury boxes.
-- Undercooked chicken in the press box for pre-game meal. Not good.
-- Went out after the game to try to find some food. There were shockingly few people out considering it was supposedly the biggest win in Oklahoma State history. I did see a kid passed out on his front porch though, so I guess that's a start. Also, rather than hearing people cheering about the Cowboys' win, I heard numerous people celebrating Oklahoma's loss. I feel like they'd get along well with Georgia Tech fans.
Final grade: B
Anyway, I guess if I had to leave all this with a final thought it's this: Let's reserve some judgment until after the South Carolina game. The players didn't execute well, but I pin the vast majority of the game on the coaching staff. I'm not sure how encouraging that should be (and as a side note, I was reminded by a reader that Georgia is just 6-4 in its last 10 games), but at least there's a good bit of talent there. Maybe it's just going to take a while to bring it all out on the field.
Again, I ask the question I asked at the beginning of this post: Was it really that bad?
As demoralizing as the game clearly was for the fans, remember this: As bad as they played, they really weren't that far away from winning. If they had been able to get anything going on offense in the second half, if they had been able to come away with a turnover on any of those opportunities, if Samuel had been able to break one big run, if the offense hadn't had two costly turnovers... those things are all disappointments now, but had any of them gone in the other direction, there's a good chance you all would be celebrating a frighteningly close win right now.
(Oh, and a quick note, this is probably a record long post, so you may want to print it out and take it someplace comfortable.)
Anonymous writes: My hope is that OSU is really good - no make that great - if not.........
DH: My first inclination after a bad loss is always to go in the opposite direction of the natural instinct, to take a calm, analytical approach and essentially ask the question: Was it really that bad?
As Anonymous points out, Georgia did lose to the No. 9 team in the country. The Dawgs did essentially shut down the Okie State offense in terms of overall productivity. Unless there was more to the game on Thursday that I didn't see, there's no chance South Carolina is going to be as good as the Cowboys.
But did Georgia really lose to the ninth-best team in the country? I don't think so. Oklahoma State really did all it could to keep Georgia in that game. OSU shot itself in the foot with 15 penalties -- FIFTEEN! -- that made Georgia's defense look a little better than they probably played. And it wasn't as if OSU won the turnover battle 3-0 simply because the Cowboys were doing a great job of securing the ball. Georgia simply didn't capitalize on at least three gifts the Pokes gave them.
So, in my humble opinion, I think Anonymous will be disappointed. Georgia definitely did not lose to a great team, and I'd be willing to say they didn't lose to a really good team either.
Anonymous writes: Richard Samuel - Do the coaches coach this kid?? I saw zero improvement over last year. He still goes down on first contact, he doesnt protect the football with both arms (EVER), and he might as well just cut off his non ball carrying arm. Does he know what a stiff arm is? With his size and speed, he should be coached up to run through tackles, use his lower body strength, WAKE UP AND RUN THE BALL LIKE A FOOTBALL PLAYER. If this kid had ANY football instincts, he could be great...but at this point, we should just yank his scholarship cause he is a waste of a physical specimen.
DH: OK, so this is why I say it's important to keep some perspective. This comment about Samuel was not entirely different from similar ones I got about Joe Cox, Mike Bobo, Bryan Evans, Jon Fabris or Mark Richt.
Folks, I'm not saying you should be thrilled about anything that happened out on the field Saturday, but remember that it was one game against a decent enough opponent, and while the offense looked bad, the unit was also essentially starting from scratch in terms skill position players. Let's at least wait to see what happens in Week 2 before we fire Richt, bench Cox and boot Samuel off the team.
SilverDawg writes: We need the fire of an Erk Russell. One would be great. Two or three even better. Without "fire in the belly" it's just an empty stomach.
DH: I understand the fan reaction to say, "These guys just didn't want it enough." You watch on TV and you REALLY want it, then you don't see the results. It's a natural reaction.
But I can assure you, Georgia WANTED this game. I was in the interview room afterward. I know what the mood was. There wasn't any loafing on the field or any excuses afterward.
Last year, I might have agreed that the team lack the "want to." Saturday, however, wasn't about "want." It was all about game plan and execution, and Georgia simply didn't get the job done.
(As a side note: A number of people compared Georgia's attitude to Alabama's and said it showed the Bulldogs lacked intensity. I'd like to remind people about what they were saying last season when the "intense" Bulldogs were racking up 11 or 12 penalties a game and the outcry was to tone it down.)
If there's anything encouraging to take from the game -- and there's not much -- I think it's how much heart the D showed after going one series after another with bad field position. Last year, that was essentially a free touchdown because the D showed virtually no heart in the face of adversity. That wasn't the case Saturday, and Willie and Co. deserve some credit for that. (Which is not to say I don't have other criticisms to level in their direction, just that heart isn't one of them.)
Anonymous writes: Have the coaches addressed the use of Brandon Smith on offense? It seemed as though he touched the ball more than Carlton Thomas and had more passes thrown his way than Tavaris King. Do the coaches have more confidence in Smith with the ball in his hands than Wooten or Brown? I was not impressed with SMith's continuous running from the end zone on kick returns or the interference with Miller's efforts to down a punt inside the five. Smith just seemed like a true freshman caught up in the game, which is understandable, but should he have played that big of a part in his first game?
DH: Here's what I think this came down to: Georgia's coaches didn't believe they had more than one or two reliable playmakers, so they designed a few low-risk plays to give Smith because his speed put him in a position to make something happen -- which to me is essentially the football equivalent of throwing you-know-what against a wall and seeing what sticks.
Of course, even if you're going to do that, why would you not at least put Marlon Brown out on the field? His size alone creates a mismatch that at least would have forced Okie State to rethink things a bit, regardless of whether or not you plan to throw him the ball.
(One other side note -- After Smith brought out the first kick from 7 yards deep, how is it that no one on that sideline grabbed him and said "Do not let that happen again!"? Instead, he did the same thing on the next play. I get it. He's a freshman and he's confident. I don't blame him. You have coaches for a reason.)
Anonymous writes: Why no qb change considering Joe C had the flu? first game of the year our substituting was poor , 35 and 22 etc played to much on special teams. And our starting corners were returning kicks , maybe later in the season but thought we needed to save our playmakers on d.
DH: I don't want to pick on our anonymous commenter here, because he was hardly alone in expressing this sentiment. But didn't we spend the whole offseason arguing about how Georgia needed to use more skill guys on special teams? Can't have it both ways.
I think using some top players on ST is great. What I can't understand is why even with those better players, you still can't cover a kick. Perhaps it's that you keep returning to a philosophy that has not worked over and over.
And one other thing on the kickoffs: I have trouble pinning too much of that on Blair. For the most part, he put the ball where he was asked. It's the plan that was flawed, not Blair's kicking.
Chillydawg writes: I’m sure the first series of the game was scripted and was executed well, one reason we took the ball down and scored. After that, the offense was a Hodge podge of nothing. The o- line played well for the most part but we did nothing to keep them off balance – to slow down their rush, make them think to slow down their aggression. We were so simple. No draws to slow them down, no screens or counters (that I can remember) to take advantage of the aggressiveness. Just plan old zone dives and toss. Bobo’s grade - F
DH: I couldn't have possibly said this any better. A "hodge podge" is exactly what Bobo threw out there. The first drive was surgical in its precision, and Georgia looked good. There was a plan. The offense looked dynamic. It looked in rhythm.
What followed was a mess. There was no plan, no direction, no philosophy... nothing. How can that be when Georgia's coaches had longer to prepare for this game than any they'll have the rest of the way?
Also, I wanted to go back to this quote Mark Richt gave just one week ago after practice:
“If you’re not quite sure of all your personnel, you’re more apt to make sure the right guys are getting the ball, which is not as much fun as a coordinator,” Richt said. “When you’re sitting there going, ‘Well, so-and-so is in the game, so I’ve got to do this or that,’ I hope that we don’t have to do that. We’re not going into this game saying that’s what we’re going to do because we feel like we’ve got to let these guys go out there and make plays.”
Either something happened in the week between Richt expressing that sentiment and the game, or he was simply being visibly confident in front of the media while not really believing the words he was saying in private. Georgia's offense Saturday was exactly the opposite of his stated plan. It was every bit the "Well, so-and-so is in the game, so I've got to do this or that." There was no imagination, no plan, and a complete reliance on Richard Samuel and A.J. Green to be the lone playmakers.
I said this soon after Stafford and Moreno decided to head to the NFL: This year's team will be defined by the coaching staff. There is talent on the roster, but it's inexperienced, unpolished. It will take some dynamic thinking and some exceptional teaching to ensure that talent shows up on the field every Saturday because the parts that Georgia has to work with aren't the typical puzzle pieces the coaching staff has had to put together in the past.
After watching the game unfold Saturday, I haven't changed that opinion much, but I'm significantly less confident that the coaching staff can -- or worse yet, is willing to -- put that puzzle together.
Now to the grades...
QUARTERBACKS: Joe Cox will take the brunt of this loss. It's a role I'm sure he'd happily take regardless. And no, he didn't play well.
There were several passes it simply looks like Cox can't make. There was a throw in the second quarter down the middle -- about a 15-yarder -- to Aron White that was batted away downfield by an OSU linebacker. It needed zip and it had none. With Stafford's arm, it was a completion for a long gain. Cox didn't come close to getting the ball past the defender. On another deep ball to A.J. Green, Cox badly underthrew his open receiver, and Green was relegated to playing defensive back to prevent a pick by Perrish Cox.
More concerning still was some of the fundamental flaws Cox exhibited. The sales pitch with Joe was all about his accuracy and decision making. While a number of his passes should have been caught -- think the Orson Charles drop or the one that tipped off Michael Moore's hands in the fourth quarter -- they weren't exactly on target either. Cox's passes were often a touch behind a receiver, which is concerning since that was supposed to be his strength. Cox also hung on to the ball longer than he should have and often focused too much on his first target -- which may, of course, have been the result of the fact that he wasn't given a second target.
Having said all that, Cox receivers let him down. The drops were bad, but the sheer lack of any second target beyond Green made his job nearly impossible. Add to that the potential effects of the flu and you've got a recipe for a long afternoon.
The popular sentiment now seems to be -- get him outta there! I know I'm not the first to say this, but please folks, think about what you're saying. For one, we have no idea how much of that performance was "the real Joe Cox" or how much of his struggles were related to his health. He deserves more than one chance to show what he can do.
Secondly, it's very easy to be enthusiastic about Logan Gray or Aaron Murray before you see them on the field. Remember what 2006 was like when Matthew Stafford first took over? And trust me, neither Gray nor Murray are anywhere close to as ready to play as Stafford was.
That said, I think putting Gray in for a series would have been a worthwhile idea Saturday, if for no other reason that to simply give the OSU defense something else to think about and for the Georgia coaches to see what they have in Gray.
Instead, I think the fact that the game stayed as close as it did sort of left the coaches in no man's land -- how do you roll the dice when you're only down a touchdown? Of course, that assumes they had a plan to begin with, which is tough to find any evidence to support.
Final grade: C-
RUNNING BACKS: There were times Richard Samuel looked pretty impressive. He showed nice speed and an impressive ability to bounce the ball outside and make things happen. I know fans are going to point to what he could have done vs. what he actually did, which is fair. Samuel left a lot of yards on the field. But he was also Georgia's only real productive player for much of the game, and he did hang on to the football, which had to be considered a minor victory. And while Samuel could have done more, the kid did have 87 yards and only two of his 20 carries went for zero or negative yards. If Georgia had won, I'm not sure he'd be getting nearly the criticism he has now. He was hardly the weak point of the offense.
The bigger problem was the playcalling. When Mike Bobo needed to stretch the field, he stuck with the run. When the run appeared to be working early, he got away from Samuel in the second quarter and the wheels came off the offense.
I liked the use of Branden Smith as a runner, even if it didn't amount to much offensively. If they go to Smith enough, eventually he's going to break one.
I didn't like Carlton Thomas' performance, obviously. Thomas showed flashes of why he's so impressive, but it was only when he got the ball in space. On direct handoffs when he tried to go between the tackles, it was a disaster, including the costly fumble. I hate to be yet another critic piling on the kid for his size, but if Saturday was any indication, he's going to have a very tough time running against much bigger and better fronts in the SEC.
Caleb King was missed in this game. Another option to go with Samuel would have been helpful.
Final grade: C
RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS: There's really nothing that can be said that's particularly positive here. Mark Richt complimented Tavarres King, but one catch for four yards and another miss that led to Cox's INT doesn't seem like getting the job done to me.
Green was blanketed most of the game, and the coaching staff waited too long to try to find other ways to get the ball in his hands.
Michael Moore was a non-factor with the exception of his 4-yard TD reception. His drop in the fourth quarter was particularly troubling.
Aron White and Orson Charles also had drops, but it was a good sign that both were open routinely. Still, they have to make plays when the opportunity comes their way.
The big question, however, is where the heck were Marlon Brown and Rantavious Wooten (or Israel Troupe for that matter)?
Georgia essentially went with just three wide receivers the entire game, which no doubt took its toll. Moore said he took 55 snaps alone, but more troubling was the reaction from his coach, who Moore said didn't realize that Brown, Wooten and Troupe had been absent.
"Coach Ball is in the box, so he doesn't have direct contact with us, and he didn't realize that until the end of the game," Moore said. "We didn't know what the rotation was going to be like and we basically stuck with just the three guys."
I'm not going to pin this on Tony Ball without talking to him first, but if the coaches really weren't aware that they had only used three wide receivers, that is a serious problem.
Regardless, no one I've asked seems to have any better explanation for why Brown and Wooten didn't get in the game, and it doesn't sound like it was the most popular decision with the other players.
"I'm not sure why we didn't sub some other people in," Cox said. "That's not my decision. Whatever reason Coach Bobo and the other coaches did that for, you'd have to ask them."
"With some of the things they were doing on defense, our playcalling was more limited that what we thought coming into the game," White said. "We have a lot more that we could throw out there. I feel like a lot of our weapons on offense weren't completely utilized to their potential."
Even if you're not sure what to expect from Brown and Wooten, isn't it better to at least find that out in a non-conference road game than be left with the same indecision and doubt against South Carolina? And even if you weren't going to throw to Brown, doesn't just having him on the field create enough of a mismatch for the defense that it opens up another avenue? I just don't get this at all.
Final grade: F
OFFENSIVE LINE: This was far from the dominant performance that many had expected.
The line opened up some holes in the running game, but Richt said they often struggled to remain engaged long enough for the tailbacks to finish a run.
"There was a couple times when we just didn't finish blocks," Richt said. "Schematically we were creating good space, but if we'd have stuck on our blocks a little bit better, we might have broken some big runs."
And the pass blocking was better, but not great.
"It wasn't flawless by any means," Richt said. "The sack that caused the fumble was a protection issue. Most of the time we protected well, but that time in particular it wasn't very good."
Add to that the season-ending injury to Trinton Sturdivant, and suddenly things aren't looking as rosy as they once were for the O line, which is particularly troubling since Oklahoma State's front four was nowhere near the biggest Georgia will see this season.
Final grade: C
DEFENSIVE LINE: The good news: Georgia did a decent job containing the run, holding Kendall Hunter to just 3.3 yards per carry and effectively shutting down Oklahoma State's ground game between the tackles.
Now the bad news: Once again there were no sacks and the perimeter containment was less than spectacular.
Again, you could blame the players, but read what Jeff Owens has to say first:
"If you watched the film, it was all play action and he tried to get out of the pocket," Owens said. "I can't remember one time of all 36 snaps I played that he dropped back and threw the football -- not one. It was a quick slant or the play action. I guess they knew we were going to try to get up field and rush the passer because there was never a five-step drop or seven-step drop and throw the football. It was tough for us. The one deep ball Dez Bryant went, it was play action. The two tackles, they pulled the guard, so we were playing run first and trying to convert to pass. There was never an, OK, we'll play the pass first. It was a good game plan because I guess they knew we were going to get upfield."
It sounds to me like this was yet another example of Georgia being outcoached and Oklahoma State being significantly better prepared.
I'll give a slight nod to Rodney Garner and Willie Martinez for mixing things up and using Geno Atkins at D-end, but he finished with just one tackle, so the experiment was hardly a resounding success.
One other tip o' the cap to Georgia's goal-line D, which was much improved from last year. They didn't make anything easy for the Cowboys.
Final grade: C
LINEBACKERS: I'm not sure why Rennie Curran wasn't on the field at a couple of key moments. I'm not sure at what point Marcus Dowtin was on the field enough to compile a team-high eight tackles. I'm not sure what happened to Akeem Dent, who was a complete non-factor. I'm not sure why Darryl Gamble essentially disappeared in the second half. I'm not sure why underneath routes were open for much of the game for Oklahoma State or why tight end Wilson Youman was wide open for a key 25-yard reception. I think the defense played pretty well overall, as did the linebackers, but this wasn't their finest hour.
Final grade: C+
DEFENSIVE BACKS: I know this wasn't a perfect day by any stretch of the imagination for Georgia's secondary, but on the whole I thought they played pretty well, all things considered.
On the down side: No interceptions, despite multiple opportunities; The awful flag on Reshad Jones, which was a clean hit for sure; Brandon Boykin and Bryan Evans each getting burned by Dez Bryant for touchdowns; The middle of the field was open too often.
The upside was better though. Evans played safety a lot like he played corner, which is a bit like having Brad Lidge as your closer. You know the talent is there, but it's always an adventure. Still, that hit he had to separate Bryant from the ball in the first half was a work of art.
For it being his first real action of his career, Boykin was very good. Yes, Bryant beat him for the one TD, but that was A.) only after the Jones' flag, and B.) bound to happen when you have a player as good as Bryant get that many chances. The fact that Bryant was held to just three catches and Zac Robinson completed just 11-of-22 passes tells me that for the most part, this was a winning performance by the secondary. The offense just couldn't make it stand up.
Special kudos to Vance Cuff, too. He played particularly well in reserve duty.
Final grade: B
SPECIAL TEAMS: Quite simply, I don't have the energy to go through all this again.
You all know the drill:
-- Why is Branden Smith taking the ball out of the end zone twice?
-- Why was Georgia blocking in the back to screw Prince Miller... again?
-- Why is Georgia still kicking directionally when it hasn't worked any of the 1,845 other times.
Drew Butler had a nice game and was clearly the bright spot for Georgia -- and I mean that overall, not just on special teams.
Blair Walsh showed why he's a valuable asset worth protecting by booting a 53-yard field goal that was meaningful at the time. Of course, if kickoffs eat away at him again like they did last year, you can probably count on a slump on field goals, too. Because, you know, who cares about protecting a kicker's psyche, right?
Something needs to be done here, and I'm at a loss to understand how Richt can listen to one man's opinion when the results aren't there while simultaneously ignoring so many knowledgeable people who have other ideas.
Final grade: D (with Butler really bringing up the class average)
COACHING: We discussed the lack of playing time for the receivers, and that must be blamed on the coaches.
We discussed that the offense was surprised by what Oklahoma State did on defense. That has to be blamed on the coaches.
We discussed the "hodge podge" play calling, and that has to be blamed on the coaches.
We discussed that Georgia's pass rush continued to play the run despite Oklahoma State gashing them with the play action, and that has to be blamed on the coaches.
We discussed the directional kicking and its utter failure, and that has to be blamed on the coaches.
We discussed the fact that, even after a full offseason and five weeks of preseason, Georgia still appeared unprepared and confused on offense, and that has to be blamed on the coaches.
We mentioned the numerous players who missed time while getting IVs during the game, and the lack of proper conditioning for the weather has to be blamed on the coaches.
Listen, it was hot on the field. I was down there, so I can vouch for it. But how hot was it really?
I got this email from a reader named John, who was sitting just two rows up in the stands: "It wasn't that hot! I had about 8 beers before the game and only drank one cup of sprite durning the game."
John wasn't putting in the same effort as Georgia's players, but the players also (hopefully) hadn't had eight beers before the game (although that might explain a lot).
But when it comes to illustrating just how bad the coaching was in this game, I think these two quotes sum it up best.
The first, from Coach A: "Earlier in the game (we) should have varied what (we) did and tried to open it up a little more. We wanted to establish the run and ball control and it started out well, and it just came down to execution and (we) didn’t do a very good job of spreading it out or spreading the field.”
The second, from Coach B: "I felt like (we) didn’t give (Samuel) enough chance to make plays. We really felt like he’s a playmaker and we wanted to give him 25-plus carries. I don’t know what we ended up with, but not enough.”
Now, you're probably reading those quotes and getting a little concerned that there's a clear rift in the philosophy of two of Georgia's offensive coaches. Rightly so. Clearly one guy favors featuring the run, while the other guy thinks that the reliance on the run prevented Georgia from opening things up and stretching the field.
To have two coaches disagree so fundamentally would be concerning. What's even more concerning, however, is that both of those quotes came from Mike Bobo following the game.
Georgia came into Saturday's contest unsure of what its identity was offensively, and that's unacceptable when the coaches had the past five weeks to figure it out.
But what's far worse is that they'll go into this Saturday's game with the exact same dilemma.
Final grade: F-
THE VENUE: As a special bonus for away games, I figure it's worth grading the venue for the game. A few thoughts...
-- I'm a big fan of the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport, where I had a layover on both legs of the trip. Easy to maneuver, clean, some good places to eat. Also the overhead placards that give directions around the airport all said "toilets" rather than "restrooms." Nice touch, Texas.
-- I stayed in Tulsa, which was not nearly as bad as I had assumed. Went out for a bit Friday night and found a good little entertainment district. Also got to shoot a game of pool with the Bulldog in Exile and his lovely wife, Mrs. Exile. Good times all around.
-- The drive to the game wasn't bad, but the tolls into Stillwater required exact change, which I didn't have. Enterprise Rent-A-Car can be expecting a fine shortly.
-- It was a breeze getting in and out of the stadium, the fans were all very friendly and cordial, and the stadium was well-appointed. I will say though, I can't quite figure where they spent all that money, because while the stadium was nice, it certainly wasn't impressive. But I also wasn't invited into any of the luxury boxes.
-- Undercooked chicken in the press box for pre-game meal. Not good.
-- Went out after the game to try to find some food. There were shockingly few people out considering it was supposedly the biggest win in Oklahoma State history. I did see a kid passed out on his front porch though, so I guess that's a start. Also, rather than hearing people cheering about the Cowboys' win, I heard numerous people celebrating Oklahoma's loss. I feel like they'd get along well with Georgia Tech fans.
Final grade: B
Anyway, I guess if I had to leave all this with a final thought it's this: Let's reserve some judgment until after the South Carolina game. The players didn't execute well, but I pin the vast majority of the game on the coaching staff. I'm not sure how encouraging that should be (and as a side note, I was reminded by a reader that Georgia is just 6-4 in its last 10 games), but at least there's a good bit of talent there. Maybe it's just going to take a while to bring it all out on the field.
Again, I ask the question I asked at the beginning of this post: Was it really that bad?
As demoralizing as the game clearly was for the fans, remember this: As bad as they played, they really weren't that far away from winning. If they had been able to get anything going on offense in the second half, if they had been able to come away with a turnover on any of those opportunities, if Samuel had been able to break one big run, if the offense hadn't had two costly turnovers... those things are all disappointments now, but had any of them gone in the other direction, there's a good chance you all would be celebrating a frighteningly close win right now.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Live Blog: Georgia @ Oklahoma State
(UPDATE 11:49 a.m. CT)
Greetings from T-Bone Pickens Stadium. A few (very) early thoughts...
-- Couldn't be more pleased with how easy it was to get here. Also, the press-box soda selection is top notch. Diet Dr. Pepper... a nice touch.
-- Front page headline in the Okie State student newspaper (which is called the O'Collegian, by the way... makes me want a Guinness) says the former OSU tight end who left the program has been accused of rape. And now he plans to go to Tennessee. That makes two for Kiffin already, right? Seems like a bad PR move if you ask me.
-- There is a fair number of folks tailgating already, but it's almost creepy how quiet it all is. No music. No smack talk. No drunken fans babbling incoherently. It's just odd.
-- Telemundo has a rep in the press box. Muy beuno.
-- I'm supposed to be sitting next to someone from ESPN.com, but not sure who yet. If it turns out it's Ivan Maisel, I'll be sure to let him know how you all felt about the "talent level has slipped" comment.
-- Got the question last night but didn't get a chance to respond: It's Big 12 officials doing the game.
-- Still working through a number of the other comments from the past 24 hours, so I apologize if I haven't gotten back to you yet.
(Update 12:11 p.m. CT)
-- Many thanks for the complimentary comments, folks. This was my favorite though:
"Thats a very nice to read. Because i get many information through it. Thank you so much to post me such a nice article."
I can only hope many information will come from this blog post as well.
-- I've gotten a bunch of emails already from some poor folks in North Carolina who will be stuck watching Baylor-Wake Forest this afternoon instead of the Georgia game. So much for the great SEC coverage the new ESPN deal would create, eh? Just as an FYI... you can get the game on ESPN360.com. Not sure how much help that is, but figured it's worth passing along.
(UPDATE 12:17 p.m. CT)
-- Greg Paulus 7-of-12, 64 yards and a TD so far.... guarded optimism. Very guarded.
-- Teams haven't come out for warm-ups yet (that'll be another hour or so) but I'll get an update on Cox after that.
(UPDATE 12:41 p.m. CT)
-- The team is out on the field warming up, and Joe Cox is with them.
-- Greg Paulus.... um, forget everything I've said the past three months.
(UPDATE 1:19 p.m. CT)
-- Just spent about 20 minutes on the field. Couple of things to note...
I chatted with Kris Durham for a few minutes. He said Cox is feeling good, but a little tired. Said they don't think he had the flu, but rather a sinus infection that had been going around.
The OSU student sections are already pretty full. The ones in the front row all have these paddles that they're smacking incessantly against the padding that surrounds the wall, which is awfully loud.
The other thing you can't help but notice is how small the sidelines are here. Even with just a handful of folks milling about, you could tell how tight it was. With 100 players, coaches and trainers out there, it's going to be brutal. And the front row of fans are literally right behind the bench.
-- I ate way to much of the chicken in the press box before I realized it was severely undercooked. If there are no blog updates for a while, you'll know why.
(UPDATE 1:34 p.m. CT)
-- Just checked out the press box bathroom for the first time (no... not because of the chicken... yet) and it's amazing. Extremely poorly lit, marble countertops, and free Axe body spray. It's just like any bar in New Jersey.
-- Saw Uga hanging out in the entranceway to the field. He's looking pretty apathetic at the moment. Hope he doesn't have the flu.
-- Seriously, might Syracuse not suck this year? OK, I'm getting ahead of myself.
-- Note from a reader in Charlotte: You can get a weekend pass for ESPN Gameplan for $24 and watch the game in North Carolina.
(UPDATE 1:45 p.m. CT)
-- Team is out on the field in full uniforms now. Cox is throwing some 10-yard lobs from the goalline. Haven't seen him bend over to puke yet, so that's a good sign.
-- Greg Paulus is the No. 4 trending topic on Twitter right now. Why do I feel like I took off from Atlanta yesterday and landed in an alternate reality today? Someone get Stephen Hawking on the phone.
-- Just in case any of you had missed the news earlier this week: There won't be a pregame handshake today. That's too bad because I bet Joe was really looking forward to it. (Cough in hand, "Hey, good luck today," sneeze, wipe, "Good to meet you, have fun out there," cough, cough, "Oh, hi, Zac. I'm a big fan.")
(UPDATED 2:16 p.m. CT)
-- Georgia's wrapping up pregame warmups. Joe's been out there the whole time.
-- The press box is nicely placed directly above a large section of UGA fans. It's pretty much all red and black up the last two sections of the sideline stands on both sides, but it's definitely nowhere near the crowd there was in Arizona last season.
-- I'm loving the press box announcer. Lots of energy. I'm excited. He's like the Gus Johnson of press box announcers.
-- Here's one reason it would be great to be an Okie State fan: Giant orange foam cowboy hats. These folks know how to accessorize.
-- Answering a few comments...
From Jason: If you live in an area of the country where ABC is NOT carrying the game, you can get it on espn360.com for free.
DH: That's how I'm watching the Syracuse game. It's actually pretty good.
From Stephen Hawking: I've already told you that you are not in an alternative reality, you're just in Oklahoma. There's a slight but distinct difference. Now please stop calling me.
DH: You can understand my confusion.
From Anonymous: Dear David, I love the blog. I love your articles. DAWG gone, it I love you & there's not a daggum thing you can do about it! Dr Lou is in the house
DH: Why is there spittle all over my computer screen now?
-- Also, someone asked (and now I can't find the email) about Reuben Faloughi. He's not listed on Georgia's travel roster, so I'm assuming it's safe to say he didn't travel with the team.
(UPDATE 2:27 p.m. CT)
-- Couple pregame predictions...
Carlton Thomas won't look great today, but he'll break at least one long one.
Logan Gray will come in for the Wildcat in the first half, it won't work, and Bobo won't go back to it.
Gray will make a big play with his arm in this game though.
Brandon Boykin has at least one interception.
So does Darryl Gamble.
Blair Walsh handles kickoffs and is perfect on FGs.
-- Ohio State, Iowa, Minnesota... the Big Ten did not have an impressive day.
-- Commemorative shirt a lot of the OSU fans are wearing: "The Good, The Bad & the UGA-LY." So you've had all offseason to come up with a shirt slogan, and that's the best you could do?
-- Best press box quote so far: "Is there any Big 12 team that doesn't bring livestock onto the field before the game?"
-- The Okie State cowboy logo has Jay Leno chin. Just thought I'd share that.
-- OK, we're about to get things going. As per SEC rules, I can only update 3 times per quarter, so check back about every 5 minutes of game time.
(UPDATE: First quarter, 9:42)
-- Brandon Boykin is deep for the kickoff. Meanwhile, Syracuse is now tied. The Paulus magic only lasts one half.
-- Second play of the game and Orson Charles is in.
-- Cox hits AJ on third-and-4 for a 28 yard gain.
-- Branden Smith in on offense takes a sweep for a short gain. For all the talk that Smith wasn't working on offense, I had a feeling he might still see some action.
-- Samuel picks up 19 on a sweep play. This is looking about how I had expected... Okie State D is not good. Now... will Georgia's D be any better?
-- Logan Gray in the game for Cox on 2nd-and-4. He runs in the Wildcat for a short gain. First half of one of my predictions has already come true. Third-and-2.
-- First series and Georgia has already gone to the deep parts of the playbook twice with Gray and Smith. Very interesting.
-- Make that three times... another run for Branden Smith. This time on a direct snap.
-- Touchdown Cox to Michael Moore between two defenders. The route by Moore was perfect. No signs of sickness for Cox. Impressive drive... very impressive. PAT good by Walsh. Georgia 7, Oklahoma State 0, 9:42 remaining in first quarter. (10 plays, 80 yards, 5:18)
(UPDATE: First quarter, 4:56)
-- And our first T-Bone Pickens sighting. Got to love that TEE-Bone. (Hey, look at George. He's really giving it to old T-Bone.)
-- And yes, I plan on using the line "Hey, look at Georgia. They're really giving it to old T. Boone."
-- Walsh is handling kickoffs. Man, I'm smrt.
-- A directional kick? Whoa. Never would have seen that coming. Flag against Okie State backs them up to the 7 to start their first drive.
-- Robinson on a designed run and Georgia's D had no clue it was coming. Just a brutal look. Picks up 14 on third-and-7.
-- Costly penalties, shoddy defense... the comparisons between OSU '09 and UGA '08 grow by the day. Nice defensive stand by the Dawgs. The interior line has been dominant thus far, and Boykin had great coverage on the one long passing play.
-- Third penalty of the game on Oklahoma State is an offsides to set up a 2nd-and-2 for Georgia at the 24. Samuel picks up the first on a toss sweep on the next play.
(UPDATE: End of first quarter)
-- Okie State's D gets a stop, but boy did it look like Perrish Cox got to Green a bit early on a second-down pass that would have kept the drive alive. First look at Drew Butler gets a fantastic bounce and Georgia downs the ball at the OSU 2. Credit Butler with a 68-yarder. That'll help his average.
-- Atkins, Tyson and Owens all in the game. Not exactly the J-K-G that Owens has touted, but it's an interesting look. Essentially using Atkins as a rush end.
-- Zac Robinson has thrown just two passes so far. Georgia's done a good job of handling the run up the middle but the perimeter D has been a little spotty.
-- OK, I'm flummoxed. Here's the line, left to right: Atkins, Weston, Wheeling, C. Washington.
-- Robinson hits Bryant wide open and Bryan Evans immediately shows why he moved to safety, laying Bryant out and dislodging the ball for an incomplete pass. Evans was a little shaken up on it, but he looks fine jogging off the field.
-- Vance Cuff comes free off the edge to hit Robinson on third down. Give Willie some credit... this has been a very inventive defense so far.
-- Interesting that Carlton Thomas hasn't been on the field yet.
-- Holding flag on Georgia negates a nice gain by Michael Moore. Penalty No. 1 of the season with 12 seconds to play in the first quarter.
(UPDATE, 2nd Quarter, 8:07)
-- Branden Smith with a 3-yard reception. They really played it coy how much they planned to use him.
-- First example of the downside of the Stafford-to-Cox transition. Lavine breaks up a pass that didn't have much zip on it that could have probably been a long gain on third-and-12.
-- Dez Bryant was in position to return the ensuing punt all the way but got tripped up just enough on the turf that he went down on his own. Coverage is going to have to be better than that.
-- Robinson over the middle to Youman for a big gain. There was just no one home in the middle of the field.
-- Curran and Marcus Washington both got pressure on Robinson on third down to force the punt. Georgia's D has looked solid, but Okie State has definitely shot itself in the foot with penalties, too. Is this what it was like for other teams to play Georgia last season?
-- Thurman Thomas is here... exciting stuff. If only noted Buffalo Bills fan Jay Adams was still working with us, this might have been a very special moment for him. But at least he got to watch Syracuse blow the game to Minnesota today.
-- Ref just chucked a pass-interference flag about 30 yards. I think he has a better arm than Cox.
-- Three straight passing plays -- this last one to Carlton Thomas for a short gain to set up a third-and-10.
-- Another pass to Thomas, who scoots down the middle for a 17-yard gain and a first down. Thomas is going to be a real weapon in the passing game, but it's curious that he hasn't run once yet.
-- Samuel tripped up at the line of scrimmage on a third-and-1 play at midfield halted what could have been a nice drive. Still, he's run the ball well for the most part.
(UPDATED, 2nd quarter, 3:59)
-- Robinson just tosses a ball up for grabs, but Reshad Jones tipped it to the ground.
-- Bryan Evans is in the game again, but Boykin is not. Cuff has been in at corner. Not sure what's going on with Boykin.
-- Cuff just missed pulling down an interception... that's two that have gotten away on this series.
-- And two more flags on this drive for Oklahoma State.
-- Man, fans must be so tired of Willie Martinez having to carry this team. Fire Bobo! Start Logan Gray!
-- Carlton Thomas with a nice punt return, but a hold will bring it back. That guy is dangerous with the ball in his hands though. Georgia will begin the drive at the 8 with 5:16 to play in the half.
-- Orson Charles with his first catch -- a 25-yard gain. Big play even if it only flips field position.
-- Branden Smith's third run of the game doesn't go far. Might be time to scrap that one for a little while. (BTW, some big plays by the freshmen there... I thought SEC coaches thought the talent level had dipped?)
-- Georgia timeout.... good time to update.
(UPDATED, End of Second Quarter)
-- Chapas just got absolutely leveled on a pass over the middle. A flag came in, but the refs thought better of it, which was clearly the right call.
-- Samuel trips at the line of scrimmage again. This turf seems to be playing a little havoc with both teams.
-- Drew Butler's luck ran out a bit on that one -- 45 yard punt with Bryant bringing it back 12 yards to the 32. Big series for the D. Boykin is back on the field.
-- Dez Bryant hauls in his first catch of the game for a 19-yard gain. Robinson had all day to make that throw. Okie State has been running some hurry-up, too, and goes right back to action with a 3-yard pass to Hunter. Georgia timeout.
-- If you put money on the under in this game, you're looking awfully smart right now. Then again, when you have a defensive powerhouse like Oklahoma State, why wouldn't you take the under?
-- 46-yard TD pass Robinson to Bryant, who had gotten behind Bryan Evans for the score. It was a pretty pass and a perfect illustration of how dangerous Bryant is. He went the whole first half without a catch, but changed the complexion of the game in the past three plays. Oklahoma State 7, Georgia 7. (68 yards, 3 plays, 40 seconds)
-- Georgia has 2:24 to play with here. The Dawgs really need to make something happen -- even if it's just a FG -- to swing the momentum before the half. The offense hasn't looked bad, but it has looked just a bit, off. That needs to get remedied on this drive.
-- Jermiah Price had his hands on an easy pick-six but dropped it. Cox breathes big sigh of releif.
-- Just noticed Vince Vance is in for Chris Davis at left guard.
-- Carlton Thomas coughs up the football in a bad, bad place. The momentum of this game has really turned. A Georgia flag adds to the misery. Okie State sets up at the 6-yard line. Will be interesting to see how the D responds. They didn't handle this well last year.
-- Three straight stops by the D -- a great sign for them. Gundy's gonna think about it on fourth-and-1. I think you have to kick. OSU has all the momentum and gets the ball first in the second half. Why give Georgia a chance to go into the locker room on a high note? Take the points.
-- Gundy decides to go for it, but a holding penalty makes it a moot point. OSU has KILLED itself with flags today. The field goal is good though, to give the Pokes the lead. OSU 10, Georgia 7. (4 plays, -5 yards, 2:00)
-- That's a bad way to end the half, but boy did the defense look good there. Last year, Okie State would have walked in on the first play. That's it for this half.
(UPDATED: Halftime)
Some first-half stats of note:
-- Robinson was just 5-of-12 for 99 yards in the half, but he was 3-of-3, including a 46-yard TD pass on Oklahoma State's second-to-last drive of the half.
-- Dawgs have done a nice job of containing Kendall Hunter, who is averaging just 2.9 yards per carry.
-- Rennie Curran has six tackles, Gamble has five.
-- Drew Butler has probably been Georgia's first-half MVP. He's averaged 54.2 yards per punt, including a long of 68.
-- There are no snacks in the press box. I could really go for some pretzels.
-- Joe Cox's line: 8-of-15 for 84 yards. He started 5-of-8 but has connected on just 3 of his last 7 attempts. I don't know if we're seeing the real Joe Cox or not, since we never saw much of him before, but he needs to play better in the second half.
-- Richard Samuel has been as advertised: 11 carries for 47 yards. Not dominating, but good, and probably would have been better if not for two trip-ups at the line of scrimmage that looked to be a product of the turf here at T-Bone Stadium.
-- Outside of Samuel, Georgia's running attack has been abysmal. Thomas's fumble was obviously killer, but Branden Smith's 11 yards on three carries is the only non-Samuel production they've had. Hate to say it, but the Dawgs are probably really wishing Caleb King had made the trip.
-- T.O.P. = Georgia 15:27, OSU 14:33. When you factor in the turnover, Georgia's O has done a good enough job of keeping the Cowboys' offense off the field. But that turnover...
-- Oklahoma State has racked up a whopping 10 flags for 61 yards in the first half alone.
-- First downs are even at 7, OSU edges Georgia on the ground 77-53, and through the air, 99-84.
-- So far I'd say the defense and special teams have been outstanding, but the offense has not held up its end of things. And Georgia can't count on another 10 flags against Okie State in the second half.
-- Attendance is 53,012 -- stadium record, but not anywhere near the 60,000 capacity.
-- Arthur Lynch, Orson Charles, Montez Robinson, Mike Gilliard and Branden Smith have all played. No signs of Wooten or Brown yet.
-- In case you're wondering, Georgia is 16-15 when trailing at the half under Richt.
(UPDATE: Third quarter, 6:49)
-- Perrish Cox takes the opening kickoff and returns it 74 yards. That kind of took the wind out of the sails after my joke that "Cox and Johnson were deep" on the kickoff.
-- Russell Okung limps off the field -- okay, maybe a slight jog -- for Okie State. His loss would be huge.
-- OK, Okung is back on the field for fourth-and-1 from the 4. And Okie State is going for it.
-- It came down to a measurement, and Okie State picked up the first down by about an inch-and-a-half. That's disheartening for the D.
-- Robinson keeps it for a TD. Oklahoma State 17, Georgia 7. (24 yards, 8 plays, 3:34).
-- Branden Smith to return the kick for the first time in the game. He fields it 7 yards deep and takes it out -- not a smart move. Georgia will start its drive at the 8.
-- Cox completes his first half since the 5:05 mark in the second quarter to pick up a first down.
-- Cox heavily underthrows Green, who has to tip the ball away from Perrish Cox. Matthew Stafford, he is not.
-- Boy, Richard Samuel has been really impressive. The kid has some moves and he is much faster than people give him credit for. This is what the Dawgs needed after getting just 2 rush yards on 6 carries in the 2nd quarter.
-- Thomas gets a second chance to carry the ball and simply goes nowhere. Worse though, Trinton Sturdivant is down. This does not look like good news. He's been helped off the field and can't put any weight on the left leg. Vince Vance in to replace him and the pressure was immediate from that side.
-- Blair Walsh boots a 53-yarder to salvage points on the drive. That was absolutely huge after the Sturdivant injury had to really demoralize the offense. Oklahoma State 17, Georgia 10. (56 yards, 13 plays, 4:47)
(UPDATED End of third quarter)
-- That 53-yarder was Walsh's career long.
-- Dewberry had tripped on the turf and was out of position, letting Robinson scramble for 9 on first down. Okie State is moving the ball with ease now.
-- According to Holly Rowe, at least 5 UGA players have had IVs in the first half. I thought the conditioning was supposed to be better this season?
-- Another killer flag for Okie State sets up a third-and-24. Georgia needs the D to make a big play.
-- Rennie has an INT go through his hands. That's the third one the Dawgs have missed this game, but it does mean the offense gets the ball back with a chance to tie it. Logan Gray in to receive the punt.
-- Official word is that Sturdivant won't return today. Georgia just has to hope he returns this year.
-- Cox goes to Charles on third-and-5 and throws a touch behind the tight end, who can't haul it in. That was a killer drive for Georgia. The offense needed to do something there.
-- Drew Butler strikes again! This time with a 75-yarder that puts Okie State at its own 6 to start the fourth quarter.
(UPDATED: Fourth quarter, 10:21)
-- Another nice series by the defense, forcing Oklahoma State to punt. I don't think anyone expected the D to play this well, but will it matter?
-- Another flag on Okie State. That's 12 for the game.
-- Prince returns the punt all the way to the 1, but this one's coming back. Block in the back on Boykin. That was a play that could have turned the game around and didn't even look like it was crucial to the run. Instead Georgia sets up at the 24 with 11:20 to play.
-- Green takes a quick outlet pass and runs for 9. That's just the fifth catch by a WR today for Georgia, all by Green and Moore.
-- Shane Jarka hits Cox, who fumbles. Oklahoma State recovers at the Georgia 32. That's a back-breaker.
(UPDATED, forth quarter, 6:06 remaining)
-- Justin Blackmon missed a catch but a (very) questionable personal foul call set up a first down at the 18 for Okie State. I guess hitting someone in the shoulder pads is considered unnecessary in the Big 12.
-- Robinson to Dez Bryant for a 12-yard TD. That might be the icing for Oklahoma State. Cowboys 24, Georgia 10. (32 yards, 4 plays, 2:27)
-- You simply can't overcome turnovers. The D has had a great game, but Okie State has had three short drives for scores. The only drive over 32 yards involved the one big play to Bryant. The offense has done the D no favors today.
-- Branden Smith takes it out from 6 yards deep in the end zone again, but this time he gets back to the 20.
-- I think it would be pretty easy right now to say that Georgia really misses Knowshon and Stafford, and there's no doubt that's true. But I honestly wonder how much of a difference they might have made? Cox hasn't been awful, but he just hasn't had a receiving threat to compliment A.J. Samuel has run the ball really well. But two turnovers and a lack of any production from the WRs outside of Green have made it tough going.
-- Tavarres King comes up with a catch, a 4-yard gain to set up second-and-11.
-- Cox had Aron White dead on down the middle of the field, and White couldn't haul it in. That was killer.
-- Cox throws to Moore a bit high, but catchable. Instead it sails through Moore's hands. Again, I say, no one has done Joe Cox any favors today.
That'll do it for the live blog for today. I'll have notes posted after the game with all the rest of the details.
Greetings from T-Bone Pickens Stadium. A few (very) early thoughts...
-- Couldn't be more pleased with how easy it was to get here. Also, the press-box soda selection is top notch. Diet Dr. Pepper... a nice touch.
-- Front page headline in the Okie State student newspaper (which is called the O'Collegian, by the way... makes me want a Guinness) says the former OSU tight end who left the program has been accused of rape. And now he plans to go to Tennessee. That makes two for Kiffin already, right? Seems like a bad PR move if you ask me.
-- There is a fair number of folks tailgating already, but it's almost creepy how quiet it all is. No music. No smack talk. No drunken fans babbling incoherently. It's just odd.
-- Telemundo has a rep in the press box. Muy beuno.
-- I'm supposed to be sitting next to someone from ESPN.com, but not sure who yet. If it turns out it's Ivan Maisel, I'll be sure to let him know how you all felt about the "talent level has slipped" comment.
-- Got the question last night but didn't get a chance to respond: It's Big 12 officials doing the game.
-- Still working through a number of the other comments from the past 24 hours, so I apologize if I haven't gotten back to you yet.
(Update 12:11 p.m. CT)
-- Many thanks for the complimentary comments, folks. This was my favorite though:
"Thats a very nice to read. Because i get many information through it. Thank you so much to post me such a nice article."
I can only hope many information will come from this blog post as well.
-- I've gotten a bunch of emails already from some poor folks in North Carolina who will be stuck watching Baylor-Wake Forest this afternoon instead of the Georgia game. So much for the great SEC coverage the new ESPN deal would create, eh? Just as an FYI... you can get the game on ESPN360.com. Not sure how much help that is, but figured it's worth passing along.
(UPDATE 12:17 p.m. CT)
-- Greg Paulus 7-of-12, 64 yards and a TD so far.... guarded optimism. Very guarded.
-- Teams haven't come out for warm-ups yet (that'll be another hour or so) but I'll get an update on Cox after that.
(UPDATE 12:41 p.m. CT)
-- The team is out on the field warming up, and Joe Cox is with them.
-- Greg Paulus.... um, forget everything I've said the past three months.
(UPDATE 1:19 p.m. CT)
-- Just spent about 20 minutes on the field. Couple of things to note...
I chatted with Kris Durham for a few minutes. He said Cox is feeling good, but a little tired. Said they don't think he had the flu, but rather a sinus infection that had been going around.
The OSU student sections are already pretty full. The ones in the front row all have these paddles that they're smacking incessantly against the padding that surrounds the wall, which is awfully loud.
The other thing you can't help but notice is how small the sidelines are here. Even with just a handful of folks milling about, you could tell how tight it was. With 100 players, coaches and trainers out there, it's going to be brutal. And the front row of fans are literally right behind the bench.
-- I ate way to much of the chicken in the press box before I realized it was severely undercooked. If there are no blog updates for a while, you'll know why.
(UPDATE 1:34 p.m. CT)
-- Just checked out the press box bathroom for the first time (no... not because of the chicken... yet) and it's amazing. Extremely poorly lit, marble countertops, and free Axe body spray. It's just like any bar in New Jersey.
-- Saw Uga hanging out in the entranceway to the field. He's looking pretty apathetic at the moment. Hope he doesn't have the flu.
-- Seriously, might Syracuse not suck this year? OK, I'm getting ahead of myself.
-- Note from a reader in Charlotte: You can get a weekend pass for ESPN Gameplan for $24 and watch the game in North Carolina.
(UPDATE 1:45 p.m. CT)
-- Team is out on the field in full uniforms now. Cox is throwing some 10-yard lobs from the goalline. Haven't seen him bend over to puke yet, so that's a good sign.
-- Greg Paulus is the No. 4 trending topic on Twitter right now. Why do I feel like I took off from Atlanta yesterday and landed in an alternate reality today? Someone get Stephen Hawking on the phone.
-- Just in case any of you had missed the news earlier this week: There won't be a pregame handshake today. That's too bad because I bet Joe was really looking forward to it. (Cough in hand, "Hey, good luck today," sneeze, wipe, "Good to meet you, have fun out there," cough, cough, "Oh, hi, Zac. I'm a big fan.")
(UPDATED 2:16 p.m. CT)
-- Georgia's wrapping up pregame warmups. Joe's been out there the whole time.
-- The press box is nicely placed directly above a large section of UGA fans. It's pretty much all red and black up the last two sections of the sideline stands on both sides, but it's definitely nowhere near the crowd there was in Arizona last season.
-- I'm loving the press box announcer. Lots of energy. I'm excited. He's like the Gus Johnson of press box announcers.
-- Here's one reason it would be great to be an Okie State fan: Giant orange foam cowboy hats. These folks know how to accessorize.
-- Answering a few comments...
From Jason: If you live in an area of the country where ABC is NOT carrying the game, you can get it on espn360.com for free.
DH: That's how I'm watching the Syracuse game. It's actually pretty good.
From Stephen Hawking: I've already told you that you are not in an alternative reality, you're just in Oklahoma. There's a slight but distinct difference. Now please stop calling me.
DH: You can understand my confusion.
From Anonymous: Dear David, I love the blog. I love your articles. DAWG gone, it I love you & there's not a daggum thing you can do about it! Dr Lou is in the house
DH: Why is there spittle all over my computer screen now?
-- Also, someone asked (and now I can't find the email) about Reuben Faloughi. He's not listed on Georgia's travel roster, so I'm assuming it's safe to say he didn't travel with the team.
(UPDATE 2:27 p.m. CT)
-- Couple pregame predictions...
Carlton Thomas won't look great today, but he'll break at least one long one.
Logan Gray will come in for the Wildcat in the first half, it won't work, and Bobo won't go back to it.
Gray will make a big play with his arm in this game though.
Brandon Boykin has at least one interception.
So does Darryl Gamble.
Blair Walsh handles kickoffs and is perfect on FGs.
-- Ohio State, Iowa, Minnesota... the Big Ten did not have an impressive day.
-- Commemorative shirt a lot of the OSU fans are wearing: "The Good, The Bad & the UGA-LY." So you've had all offseason to come up with a shirt slogan, and that's the best you could do?
-- Best press box quote so far: "Is there any Big 12 team that doesn't bring livestock onto the field before the game?"
-- The Okie State cowboy logo has Jay Leno chin. Just thought I'd share that.
-- OK, we're about to get things going. As per SEC rules, I can only update 3 times per quarter, so check back about every 5 minutes of game time.
(UPDATE: First quarter, 9:42)
-- Brandon Boykin is deep for the kickoff. Meanwhile, Syracuse is now tied. The Paulus magic only lasts one half.
-- Second play of the game and Orson Charles is in.
-- Cox hits AJ on third-and-4 for a 28 yard gain.
-- Branden Smith in on offense takes a sweep for a short gain. For all the talk that Smith wasn't working on offense, I had a feeling he might still see some action.
-- Samuel picks up 19 on a sweep play. This is looking about how I had expected... Okie State D is not good. Now... will Georgia's D be any better?
-- Logan Gray in the game for Cox on 2nd-and-4. He runs in the Wildcat for a short gain. First half of one of my predictions has already come true. Third-and-2.
-- First series and Georgia has already gone to the deep parts of the playbook twice with Gray and Smith. Very interesting.
-- Make that three times... another run for Branden Smith. This time on a direct snap.
-- Touchdown Cox to Michael Moore between two defenders. The route by Moore was perfect. No signs of sickness for Cox. Impressive drive... very impressive. PAT good by Walsh. Georgia 7, Oklahoma State 0, 9:42 remaining in first quarter. (10 plays, 80 yards, 5:18)
(UPDATE: First quarter, 4:56)
-- And our first T-Bone Pickens sighting. Got to love that TEE-Bone. (Hey, look at George. He's really giving it to old T-Bone.)
-- And yes, I plan on using the line "Hey, look at Georgia. They're really giving it to old T. Boone."
-- Walsh is handling kickoffs. Man, I'm smrt.
-- A directional kick? Whoa. Never would have seen that coming. Flag against Okie State backs them up to the 7 to start their first drive.
-- Robinson on a designed run and Georgia's D had no clue it was coming. Just a brutal look. Picks up 14 on third-and-7.
-- Costly penalties, shoddy defense... the comparisons between OSU '09 and UGA '08 grow by the day. Nice defensive stand by the Dawgs. The interior line has been dominant thus far, and Boykin had great coverage on the one long passing play.
-- Third penalty of the game on Oklahoma State is an offsides to set up a 2nd-and-2 for Georgia at the 24. Samuel picks up the first on a toss sweep on the next play.
(UPDATE: End of first quarter)
-- Okie State's D gets a stop, but boy did it look like Perrish Cox got to Green a bit early on a second-down pass that would have kept the drive alive. First look at Drew Butler gets a fantastic bounce and Georgia downs the ball at the OSU 2. Credit Butler with a 68-yarder. That'll help his average.
-- Atkins, Tyson and Owens all in the game. Not exactly the J-K-G that Owens has touted, but it's an interesting look. Essentially using Atkins as a rush end.
-- Zac Robinson has thrown just two passes so far. Georgia's done a good job of handling the run up the middle but the perimeter D has been a little spotty.
-- OK, I'm flummoxed. Here's the line, left to right: Atkins, Weston, Wheeling, C. Washington.
-- Robinson hits Bryant wide open and Bryan Evans immediately shows why he moved to safety, laying Bryant out and dislodging the ball for an incomplete pass. Evans was a little shaken up on it, but he looks fine jogging off the field.
-- Vance Cuff comes free off the edge to hit Robinson on third down. Give Willie some credit... this has been a very inventive defense so far.
-- Interesting that Carlton Thomas hasn't been on the field yet.
-- Holding flag on Georgia negates a nice gain by Michael Moore. Penalty No. 1 of the season with 12 seconds to play in the first quarter.
(UPDATE, 2nd Quarter, 8:07)
-- Branden Smith with a 3-yard reception. They really played it coy how much they planned to use him.
-- First example of the downside of the Stafford-to-Cox transition. Lavine breaks up a pass that didn't have much zip on it that could have probably been a long gain on third-and-12.
-- Dez Bryant was in position to return the ensuing punt all the way but got tripped up just enough on the turf that he went down on his own. Coverage is going to have to be better than that.
-- Robinson over the middle to Youman for a big gain. There was just no one home in the middle of the field.
-- Curran and Marcus Washington both got pressure on Robinson on third down to force the punt. Georgia's D has looked solid, but Okie State has definitely shot itself in the foot with penalties, too. Is this what it was like for other teams to play Georgia last season?
-- Thurman Thomas is here... exciting stuff. If only noted Buffalo Bills fan Jay Adams was still working with us, this might have been a very special moment for him. But at least he got to watch Syracuse blow the game to Minnesota today.
-- Ref just chucked a pass-interference flag about 30 yards. I think he has a better arm than Cox.
-- Three straight passing plays -- this last one to Carlton Thomas for a short gain to set up a third-and-10.
-- Another pass to Thomas, who scoots down the middle for a 17-yard gain and a first down. Thomas is going to be a real weapon in the passing game, but it's curious that he hasn't run once yet.
-- Samuel tripped up at the line of scrimmage on a third-and-1 play at midfield halted what could have been a nice drive. Still, he's run the ball well for the most part.
(UPDATED, 2nd quarter, 3:59)
-- Robinson just tosses a ball up for grabs, but Reshad Jones tipped it to the ground.
-- Bryan Evans is in the game again, but Boykin is not. Cuff has been in at corner. Not sure what's going on with Boykin.
-- Cuff just missed pulling down an interception... that's two that have gotten away on this series.
-- And two more flags on this drive for Oklahoma State.
-- Man, fans must be so tired of Willie Martinez having to carry this team. Fire Bobo! Start Logan Gray!
-- Carlton Thomas with a nice punt return, but a hold will bring it back. That guy is dangerous with the ball in his hands though. Georgia will begin the drive at the 8 with 5:16 to play in the half.
-- Orson Charles with his first catch -- a 25-yard gain. Big play even if it only flips field position.
-- Branden Smith's third run of the game doesn't go far. Might be time to scrap that one for a little while. (BTW, some big plays by the freshmen there... I thought SEC coaches thought the talent level had dipped?)
-- Georgia timeout.... good time to update.
(UPDATED, End of Second Quarter)
-- Chapas just got absolutely leveled on a pass over the middle. A flag came in, but the refs thought better of it, which was clearly the right call.
-- Samuel trips at the line of scrimmage again. This turf seems to be playing a little havoc with both teams.
-- Drew Butler's luck ran out a bit on that one -- 45 yard punt with Bryant bringing it back 12 yards to the 32. Big series for the D. Boykin is back on the field.
-- Dez Bryant hauls in his first catch of the game for a 19-yard gain. Robinson had all day to make that throw. Okie State has been running some hurry-up, too, and goes right back to action with a 3-yard pass to Hunter. Georgia timeout.
-- If you put money on the under in this game, you're looking awfully smart right now. Then again, when you have a defensive powerhouse like Oklahoma State, why wouldn't you take the under?
-- 46-yard TD pass Robinson to Bryant, who had gotten behind Bryan Evans for the score. It was a pretty pass and a perfect illustration of how dangerous Bryant is. He went the whole first half without a catch, but changed the complexion of the game in the past three plays. Oklahoma State 7, Georgia 7. (68 yards, 3 plays, 40 seconds)
-- Georgia has 2:24 to play with here. The Dawgs really need to make something happen -- even if it's just a FG -- to swing the momentum before the half. The offense hasn't looked bad, but it has looked just a bit, off. That needs to get remedied on this drive.
-- Jermiah Price had his hands on an easy pick-six but dropped it. Cox breathes big sigh of releif.
-- Just noticed Vince Vance is in for Chris Davis at left guard.
-- Carlton Thomas coughs up the football in a bad, bad place. The momentum of this game has really turned. A Georgia flag adds to the misery. Okie State sets up at the 6-yard line. Will be interesting to see how the D responds. They didn't handle this well last year.
-- Three straight stops by the D -- a great sign for them. Gundy's gonna think about it on fourth-and-1. I think you have to kick. OSU has all the momentum and gets the ball first in the second half. Why give Georgia a chance to go into the locker room on a high note? Take the points.
-- Gundy decides to go for it, but a holding penalty makes it a moot point. OSU has KILLED itself with flags today. The field goal is good though, to give the Pokes the lead. OSU 10, Georgia 7. (4 plays, -5 yards, 2:00)
-- That's a bad way to end the half, but boy did the defense look good there. Last year, Okie State would have walked in on the first play. That's it for this half.
(UPDATED: Halftime)
Some first-half stats of note:
-- Robinson was just 5-of-12 for 99 yards in the half, but he was 3-of-3, including a 46-yard TD pass on Oklahoma State's second-to-last drive of the half.
-- Dawgs have done a nice job of containing Kendall Hunter, who is averaging just 2.9 yards per carry.
-- Rennie Curran has six tackles, Gamble has five.
-- Drew Butler has probably been Georgia's first-half MVP. He's averaged 54.2 yards per punt, including a long of 68.
-- There are no snacks in the press box. I could really go for some pretzels.
-- Joe Cox's line: 8-of-15 for 84 yards. He started 5-of-8 but has connected on just 3 of his last 7 attempts. I don't know if we're seeing the real Joe Cox or not, since we never saw much of him before, but he needs to play better in the second half.
-- Richard Samuel has been as advertised: 11 carries for 47 yards. Not dominating, but good, and probably would have been better if not for two trip-ups at the line of scrimmage that looked to be a product of the turf here at T-Bone Stadium.
-- Outside of Samuel, Georgia's running attack has been abysmal. Thomas's fumble was obviously killer, but Branden Smith's 11 yards on three carries is the only non-Samuel production they've had. Hate to say it, but the Dawgs are probably really wishing Caleb King had made the trip.
-- T.O.P. = Georgia 15:27, OSU 14:33. When you factor in the turnover, Georgia's O has done a good enough job of keeping the Cowboys' offense off the field. But that turnover...
-- Oklahoma State has racked up a whopping 10 flags for 61 yards in the first half alone.
-- First downs are even at 7, OSU edges Georgia on the ground 77-53, and through the air, 99-84.
-- So far I'd say the defense and special teams have been outstanding, but the offense has not held up its end of things. And Georgia can't count on another 10 flags against Okie State in the second half.
-- Attendance is 53,012 -- stadium record, but not anywhere near the 60,000 capacity.
-- Arthur Lynch, Orson Charles, Montez Robinson, Mike Gilliard and Branden Smith have all played. No signs of Wooten or Brown yet.
-- In case you're wondering, Georgia is 16-15 when trailing at the half under Richt.
(UPDATE: Third quarter, 6:49)
-- Perrish Cox takes the opening kickoff and returns it 74 yards. That kind of took the wind out of the sails after my joke that "Cox and Johnson were deep" on the kickoff.
-- Russell Okung limps off the field -- okay, maybe a slight jog -- for Okie State. His loss would be huge.
-- OK, Okung is back on the field for fourth-and-1 from the 4. And Okie State is going for it.
-- It came down to a measurement, and Okie State picked up the first down by about an inch-and-a-half. That's disheartening for the D.
-- Robinson keeps it for a TD. Oklahoma State 17, Georgia 7. (24 yards, 8 plays, 3:34).
-- Branden Smith to return the kick for the first time in the game. He fields it 7 yards deep and takes it out -- not a smart move. Georgia will start its drive at the 8.
-- Cox completes his first half since the 5:05 mark in the second quarter to pick up a first down.
-- Cox heavily underthrows Green, who has to tip the ball away from Perrish Cox. Matthew Stafford, he is not.
-- Boy, Richard Samuel has been really impressive. The kid has some moves and he is much faster than people give him credit for. This is what the Dawgs needed after getting just 2 rush yards on 6 carries in the 2nd quarter.
-- Thomas gets a second chance to carry the ball and simply goes nowhere. Worse though, Trinton Sturdivant is down. This does not look like good news. He's been helped off the field and can't put any weight on the left leg. Vince Vance in to replace him and the pressure was immediate from that side.
-- Blair Walsh boots a 53-yarder to salvage points on the drive. That was absolutely huge after the Sturdivant injury had to really demoralize the offense. Oklahoma State 17, Georgia 10. (56 yards, 13 plays, 4:47)
(UPDATED End of third quarter)
-- That 53-yarder was Walsh's career long.
-- Dewberry had tripped on the turf and was out of position, letting Robinson scramble for 9 on first down. Okie State is moving the ball with ease now.
-- According to Holly Rowe, at least 5 UGA players have had IVs in the first half. I thought the conditioning was supposed to be better this season?
-- Another killer flag for Okie State sets up a third-and-24. Georgia needs the D to make a big play.
-- Rennie has an INT go through his hands. That's the third one the Dawgs have missed this game, but it does mean the offense gets the ball back with a chance to tie it. Logan Gray in to receive the punt.
-- Official word is that Sturdivant won't return today. Georgia just has to hope he returns this year.
-- Cox goes to Charles on third-and-5 and throws a touch behind the tight end, who can't haul it in. That was a killer drive for Georgia. The offense needed to do something there.
-- Drew Butler strikes again! This time with a 75-yarder that puts Okie State at its own 6 to start the fourth quarter.
(UPDATED: Fourth quarter, 10:21)
-- Another nice series by the defense, forcing Oklahoma State to punt. I don't think anyone expected the D to play this well, but will it matter?
-- Another flag on Okie State. That's 12 for the game.
-- Prince returns the punt all the way to the 1, but this one's coming back. Block in the back on Boykin. That was a play that could have turned the game around and didn't even look like it was crucial to the run. Instead Georgia sets up at the 24 with 11:20 to play.
-- Green takes a quick outlet pass and runs for 9. That's just the fifth catch by a WR today for Georgia, all by Green and Moore.
-- Shane Jarka hits Cox, who fumbles. Oklahoma State recovers at the Georgia 32. That's a back-breaker.
(UPDATED, forth quarter, 6:06 remaining)
-- Justin Blackmon missed a catch but a (very) questionable personal foul call set up a first down at the 18 for Okie State. I guess hitting someone in the shoulder pads is considered unnecessary in the Big 12.
-- Robinson to Dez Bryant for a 12-yard TD. That might be the icing for Oklahoma State. Cowboys 24, Georgia 10. (32 yards, 4 plays, 2:27)
-- You simply can't overcome turnovers. The D has had a great game, but Okie State has had three short drives for scores. The only drive over 32 yards involved the one big play to Bryant. The offense has done the D no favors today.
-- Branden Smith takes it out from 6 yards deep in the end zone again, but this time he gets back to the 20.
-- I think it would be pretty easy right now to say that Georgia really misses Knowshon and Stafford, and there's no doubt that's true. But I honestly wonder how much of a difference they might have made? Cox hasn't been awful, but he just hasn't had a receiving threat to compliment A.J. Samuel has run the ball really well. But two turnovers and a lack of any production from the WRs outside of Green have made it tough going.
-- Tavarres King comes up with a catch, a 4-yard gain to set up second-and-11.
-- Cox had Aron White dead on down the middle of the field, and White couldn't haul it in. That was killer.
-- Cox throws to Moore a bit high, but catchable. Instead it sails through Moore's hands. Again, I say, no one has done Joe Cox any favors today.
That'll do it for the live blog for today. I'll have notes posted after the game with all the rest of the details.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Behind Enemy Lines: Oklahoma State
Last year, we checked in with opposing beat writers from time to time, but this season, we're making a habit of it.
Each Thursday before a game, we'll have a Q&A with a beat writer covering Georgia's opponent for the week and hopefully get some insight on what to expect in the upcoming game.
First up: Oklahoma State beat writer Brandon Chatmon of The Oklahoman.
You can check out Brandon's work HERE and read his OSU blog HERE.
David Hale: Zac Robinson's lingering injury during the preseason resulted in a media ban by Mike Gundy. From what you can gather, is he feeling 100 percent again? How crucial is it to Oklahoma State's offense to have him at full speed?
Brandon Chatmon: Zac appears to be OK. It was a injury he's dealt with before and I never saw him limping around or anything close to that. I think OSU was being extremely careful because it is crucial for him to be 100 percent against Georgia. Zac needs to be able to use his running ability to make teams play for the attention they give Dez and Kendall.
DH: There's been plenty of talk about OSU's Big 3 of Robinson, Hunter and Bryant -- and for good reason. But Brandon Pettigrew was such a big part of the Cowboys' offense last season, too. What does his loss mean to the OSU offense?
BC: It's huge. As Georgia fans can probably attest, you don't replace NFL first round picks. The Cowboys will be using a tight-end by committee approach to replace Pettigrew. Jamal Mosley is the favorite to start and he brings the ability to make plays in the passing game but is working to become more physical in the run game. OSU appears to be in a position where they sub tight ends based on the situation. With Pettigrew, who was regarded as the most complete tight end in the draft a year ago, they didn't have to do that.
DH: Defensively, the Cowboys have a new coordinator in Bill Young. What are the changes he's made this offseason from what most of us might have watched last year? Does having a guy like Young help OSU prepare for an offensive style that's pretty different from what the team is used to seeing in the Big 12?
BC: Young has come in with a focus on turnovers and has preached that since day one. He has said the goal of the defense when they come on the field is to score. If they can't do that, get a turnover, if they can't do that, get a three and out. Having Young with his experience in the Big Ten (as D-Coordinator at Ohio State from 1988-95) and going against physical running teams could help against Georgia.
DH: For all the talk about Okie State's offensive stars, the defense struggled last season. But it's a much more veteran group this time around. Who are some players on defense Georgia fans should be keeping an eye out for?
BC: Cornerback Perrish Cox is the main playmaker on defense. He'll be matched up with A.J. Green. Linebacker Andre Sexton is one of the main leaders on defense and sets the tone. Fellow linebackers Patrick Lavine and Orie Lemon are other defensive playmakers to watch. One young guy to keep an eye on is safety Victor Johnson, coaches and teammates speak highly of the sophomore.
(NOTE: Chatmon completed this interview before news broke that Lemon could miss the game.)
DH: Last year Georgia had its highest preseason rank in history, graced the cover of "Sports Illustrated," had a bunch of offensive superstars and high expectations. You know how that turned out. Is handling all the hype surrounding both this game and this season a concern for Oklahoma State, which is in a similar situation this year to what the Bulldogs experienced in 2008? What about the team makes you think they're capable of handling it better than Georgia did?
BC: Handling all the expectations is a big concern. OSU has seen more national coverage this preseason then ever. The coaches and players are saying all the right things but we won't know until Sept. 5. The "one-game-at-a-time" cliché has been in full effect. The Cowboys feel like they'll be helped by eight home games on the schedule and the big-game experience they got in 2008.
DH: I'm guessing many Georgia fans are like me and staying outside of Stillwater on Friday night. (I'll be in Tulsa.) So... any tips on some double-secret back roads to help us navigate our way to the stadium and avoid lines of traffic on game day?
BC: Sadly no. I don't think there are any such roads. No matter where you are coming from, you're going to hit traffic. Leave early, like Thursday... lol.
Each Thursday before a game, we'll have a Q&A with a beat writer covering Georgia's opponent for the week and hopefully get some insight on what to expect in the upcoming game.
First up: Oklahoma State beat writer Brandon Chatmon of The Oklahoman.
You can check out Brandon's work HERE and read his OSU blog HERE.
David Hale: Zac Robinson's lingering injury during the preseason resulted in a media ban by Mike Gundy. From what you can gather, is he feeling 100 percent again? How crucial is it to Oklahoma State's offense to have him at full speed?
Brandon Chatmon: Zac appears to be OK. It was a injury he's dealt with before and I never saw him limping around or anything close to that. I think OSU was being extremely careful because it is crucial for him to be 100 percent against Georgia. Zac needs to be able to use his running ability to make teams play for the attention they give Dez and Kendall.
DH: There's been plenty of talk about OSU's Big 3 of Robinson, Hunter and Bryant -- and for good reason. But Brandon Pettigrew was such a big part of the Cowboys' offense last season, too. What does his loss mean to the OSU offense?
BC: It's huge. As Georgia fans can probably attest, you don't replace NFL first round picks. The Cowboys will be using a tight-end by committee approach to replace Pettigrew. Jamal Mosley is the favorite to start and he brings the ability to make plays in the passing game but is working to become more physical in the run game. OSU appears to be in a position where they sub tight ends based on the situation. With Pettigrew, who was regarded as the most complete tight end in the draft a year ago, they didn't have to do that.
DH: Defensively, the Cowboys have a new coordinator in Bill Young. What are the changes he's made this offseason from what most of us might have watched last year? Does having a guy like Young help OSU prepare for an offensive style that's pretty different from what the team is used to seeing in the Big 12?
BC: Young has come in with a focus on turnovers and has preached that since day one. He has said the goal of the defense when they come on the field is to score. If they can't do that, get a turnover, if they can't do that, get a three and out. Having Young with his experience in the Big Ten (as D-Coordinator at Ohio State from 1988-95) and going against physical running teams could help against Georgia.
DH: For all the talk about Okie State's offensive stars, the defense struggled last season. But it's a much more veteran group this time around. Who are some players on defense Georgia fans should be keeping an eye out for?
BC: Cornerback Perrish Cox is the main playmaker on defense. He'll be matched up with A.J. Green. Linebacker Andre Sexton is one of the main leaders on defense and sets the tone. Fellow linebackers Patrick Lavine and Orie Lemon are other defensive playmakers to watch. One young guy to keep an eye on is safety Victor Johnson, coaches and teammates speak highly of the sophomore.
(NOTE: Chatmon completed this interview before news broke that Lemon could miss the game.)
DH: Last year Georgia had its highest preseason rank in history, graced the cover of "Sports Illustrated," had a bunch of offensive superstars and high expectations. You know how that turned out. Is handling all the hype surrounding both this game and this season a concern for Oklahoma State, which is in a similar situation this year to what the Bulldogs experienced in 2008? What about the team makes you think they're capable of handling it better than Georgia did?
BC: Handling all the expectations is a big concern. OSU has seen more national coverage this preseason then ever. The coaches and players are saying all the right things but we won't know until Sept. 5. The "one-game-at-a-time" cliché has been in full effect. The Cowboys feel like they'll be helped by eight home games on the schedule and the big-game experience they got in 2008.
DH: I'm guessing many Georgia fans are like me and staying outside of Stillwater on Friday night. (I'll be in Tulsa.) So... any tips on some double-secret back roads to help us navigate our way to the stadium and avoid lines of traffic on game day?
BC: Sadly no. I don't think there are any such roads. No matter where you are coming from, you're going to hit traffic. Leave early, like Thursday... lol.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Practice Notes: Offense Remains a Mystery for Georgia
The film room is usually the starting point in preparation for an unknown opponent, but this year, there might not be too much studying Oklahoma State's coaches can do to prepare for Georgia's offense.
With four new starters at the skill positions and a bevy of fresh-faced reserves ready for their first work as college players, there will be a much different look on offense than the Bulldogs had a year ago. The problem is, even Georgia isn't quite sure what to expect.
"It's going to be different, no doubt, and I'm not sure what it's going to look like," head coach Mark Richt said. "I've got an idea on a couple guys, but there's a lot we just don't know."
Only fullback Shaun Chapas and wide receiver A.J. Green return as skill-position starters from a unit that was one of the most feared in the SEC a year ago. The rest of the unit, however, will be getting used to new surroundings.
Quarterback Joe Cox, tight end Aron White, wide receiver Michael Moore and tailback Richard Samuel are all expected to get starting nods Saturday, but the group combines for just eight starts in their careers prior to this season.
Even the offensive line, while stocked with veterans, hasn't played together with the current lineup before, meaning it might take a while for Georgia's coaches and players to get a feel for what they have to work with.
That doesn't mean the Bulldogs aren't expecting to produce some offensive fireworks, however.
"I feel really good about everything that we have in right now and everything that we're doing," Cox said. "I think we've got a good plan set and we have the guys to execute it. So I'm not worried."
PROBLEMS FOR THE POKES
Tuesday provided some bad news for Oklahoma State.
First, starting tight end Jamal Mosley left the team for personal reasons. Head coach Mike Gundy refused to comment further about Mosley's departure, but The Oklahoman speculated that recent legal problems for the sophomore could have played a role. Mosley was also charged with misdemeanor marijuana possession in June but was currently in good standing with the program.
That news was fallowed Tuesday by a report by Oklahoma State's Scout Web site that said starting linebacker Orie Lemon tore his ACL during Monday's practice and would miss the season.
Lemon started all 13 games for the Cowboys last season at middle linebacker.
DEPTH FOR A CHANGE
After spending the 2008 season putting together a patchwork offensive line, Georgia opens the 2009 season with a surprising level of depth.
Trinton Sturdivant, Chris Davis, Ben Jones, Cordy Glenn and Clint Boling are expected to be the starting five for Georgia on Saturday, which means former starters Vince Vance and Justin Anderson will be watching from the sidelines.
With temperatures expected to be in the high 80s in Stillwater, however, Richt said he expects that there will be some backups rotating in during the game.
“I'm pretty confident that we'll play more than five linemen,” Richt said. “I think Vince will play. I think Justin Anderson will play.”
Josh Davis, who started three games for the Bulldogs last season, won't be available Saturday while he continues his rehab following multiple shoulder surgeries this offseason. Davis is getting closer to making a return, however, and Richt said the junior could be in position for playing time in the near future.
“He's not going to play this week, but hopefully in a week or two, Josh will be in a position where he can be in the mix, which would be good for us,” Richt said.
DEPTH CHART DRAMA
Outside of Richard Samuel's climb to the top of the tailback rotation, Georgia's first official depth chart of the season offered few changes from how it was expected to look before preseason practices began.
The lone surprise might be at linebacker, where Darryl Gamble has moved to the top of the depth chart at middle linebacker and senior Darius Dewberry is listed as the top Sam linebacker.
That leaves Akeem Dent, who started 10 games in 2008, the odd man out, but linebackers coach John Jancek said not to read too much into Dent's status as a reserve. A nagging hamstring injury cost Dent nearly two weeks of practice, and that was just enough to keep him from solidifying a starting post.
“He missed a bunch of practice and Darryl has obviously done a great job,” Jancek said. “Dewberry's been back a couple weeks now and shown he's ready to play. But it's not anything where (Dent) is not going to play. He's got a role in there and will probably get just as many reps as Darryl. It's a great situation to have when you have a bunch of guys with experience.”
Jancek said he expects Dewberry, Dent, Gamble, Rennie Curran, Nick Williams and Marcus Dowtin all to see action against Oklahoma State.
EXPECTING ACTION
Defensive tackle Abry Jones and defensive end Montez Robinson may not be among the freshmen who see action in Georgia's opener, but the two have impressed enough this preseason to give Richt a good indication they'll be on the field at some point this season.
“Before this season's over, (they'll play),” Richt said. “I'm not going to say they will or won't in this first game, but we're targeting them to play this season.”
BRINGING ANOTHER BACK
Running backs coach Bryan McClendon said Caleb King told him his hamstring felt better Tuesday, but the sophomore tailback still wasn't not back and practice. Sources told the Telegraph Monday that King would not make the trip to Stillwater, but McClendon said that would not be official until the team's travel roster is released Wednesday.
Assuming King won't be able to play this week, McClendon said redshirt freshman Dontavius Jackson would be the likely fourth tailback on the depth chart behind Samuel, Carlton Thomas and Kalvin Daniels. While McClendon said freshman Washaun Ealey has turned in some strong practices this week, traveling Jackson is a more practical alternative.
“You definitely want to bring an extra guy,” McClendon said. “Dontavius is pretty much already going because we use him on some special teams.”
THIN AT RECEIVER
In last year's opener, Georgia had nine different players catch a pass against Georgia Southern, with none collecting more than three.
That distribution isn't likely to be quite so wide this year, with a thin corps of receivers that includes just six scholarship players, including two freshmen.
“We're not going to expect them to play a major role right now, but they've certainly got to be ready to play,” receivers coach Tony Ball said of his freshmen, Marlon Brown and Rantavious Wooten. “And with what we're asking them to do, I think they can go out there and perform.”
That's the expectation Cox has for them, too, but he's not planning to have the outcome of the game hinge on their success. With veterans Michael Moore and A.J. Green, Cox said he expects a few more passes to sail in the direction of Georgia's best receivers.
“You don't want to just have the other team knowing they're going to throw it to one guy,” Cox said. “So we want to spread it around, but we know who our playmakers are, and we've got to be creative in finding ways to get those guys the ball more.”
Of course, finding a breakout receiver among the freshman class wouldn't be anything new for Georgia. Last year, Green burst onto the scene in the Bulldogs' opener, catching a 36-yard reception on just his third play from scrimmage to set up a touchdown.
After watching Brown, Wooten and tight ends Arthur Lynch and Orson Charles this preseason, Green said he wouldn't be surprised to see a repeat performance from one of this year's new faces.
“I know they'll be able to handle it,” Green said. “They're confidence is pretty high right now. They listen, they work hard. They're ready.”
WALK-ON READY TO GO
If the depth at wideout becomes a problem, Ball said only one of Georgia's walk-ons is ready to step into a game situation at this point – junior Marquise Brown.
Brown, who appeared in two games last season, was an offensive star during the spring, catching three passes for 62 yards in the annual G-Day game, making him a prime option should Ball need to dig deep into his depth chart on game day.
“He's gotten a lot of work with the first and second group,” Ball said. “If I had to tag a walk-on that could help us, it would be him.”
SPEEDY SAMUEL
His style may be bruising, but there's more to Georgia tailback Richard Samuel, according to his offensive coordinator.
While Samuel's size – he's 6-2, 224 pounds – and his running style put him in a category with some fullbacks, it's his speed that sets him apart.
“Richard can run,” offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said. “He's very fast. If he gets out in the open field – there's a lot of people in this league that can run, but compared to guys we've had in the past, I'd say he's the fastest since I've been here.”
That includes Bobo's time as a player, and that's probably as far back as he has to go to find anything resembling an apt comparison.
“He's similar to Robert Edwards,” Bobo said, “and Richard might be a little bit faster.”
DOUBLE DUTY
Samuel's speed might make him a weapon on special teams, too, after he ended last season as Georgia's top kick returner.
As the opener approaches, Ball said he's still looking at four or five potential return men on kickoffs, and Samuel's other duties as starting tailback won't be a factor in who ends up getting the call on game day.
“I wouldn't hesitate to put him back there because he's got experience,” Ball said of Samuel. “I'll make my decision (based on) how he handles the ball, how he communicates. It isn't rocket science, but I've got to feel comfortable with that person.”
With four new starters at the skill positions and a bevy of fresh-faced reserves ready for their first work as college players, there will be a much different look on offense than the Bulldogs had a year ago. The problem is, even Georgia isn't quite sure what to expect.
"It's going to be different, no doubt, and I'm not sure what it's going to look like," head coach Mark Richt said. "I've got an idea on a couple guys, but there's a lot we just don't know."
Only fullback Shaun Chapas and wide receiver A.J. Green return as skill-position starters from a unit that was one of the most feared in the SEC a year ago. The rest of the unit, however, will be getting used to new surroundings.
Quarterback Joe Cox, tight end Aron White, wide receiver Michael Moore and tailback Richard Samuel are all expected to get starting nods Saturday, but the group combines for just eight starts in their careers prior to this season.
Even the offensive line, while stocked with veterans, hasn't played together with the current lineup before, meaning it might take a while for Georgia's coaches and players to get a feel for what they have to work with.
That doesn't mean the Bulldogs aren't expecting to produce some offensive fireworks, however.
"I feel really good about everything that we have in right now and everything that we're doing," Cox said. "I think we've got a good plan set and we have the guys to execute it. So I'm not worried."
PROBLEMS FOR THE POKES
Tuesday provided some bad news for Oklahoma State.
First, starting tight end Jamal Mosley left the team for personal reasons. Head coach Mike Gundy refused to comment further about Mosley's departure, but The Oklahoman speculated that recent legal problems for the sophomore could have played a role. Mosley was also charged with misdemeanor marijuana possession in June but was currently in good standing with the program.
That news was fallowed Tuesday by a report by Oklahoma State's Scout Web site that said starting linebacker Orie Lemon tore his ACL during Monday's practice and would miss the season.
Lemon started all 13 games for the Cowboys last season at middle linebacker.
DEPTH FOR A CHANGE
After spending the 2008 season putting together a patchwork offensive line, Georgia opens the 2009 season with a surprising level of depth.
Trinton Sturdivant, Chris Davis, Ben Jones, Cordy Glenn and Clint Boling are expected to be the starting five for Georgia on Saturday, which means former starters Vince Vance and Justin Anderson will be watching from the sidelines.
With temperatures expected to be in the high 80s in Stillwater, however, Richt said he expects that there will be some backups rotating in during the game.
“I'm pretty confident that we'll play more than five linemen,” Richt said. “I think Vince will play. I think Justin Anderson will play.”
Josh Davis, who started three games for the Bulldogs last season, won't be available Saturday while he continues his rehab following multiple shoulder surgeries this offseason. Davis is getting closer to making a return, however, and Richt said the junior could be in position for playing time in the near future.
“He's not going to play this week, but hopefully in a week or two, Josh will be in a position where he can be in the mix, which would be good for us,” Richt said.
DEPTH CHART DRAMA
Outside of Richard Samuel's climb to the top of the tailback rotation, Georgia's first official depth chart of the season offered few changes from how it was expected to look before preseason practices began.
The lone surprise might be at linebacker, where Darryl Gamble has moved to the top of the depth chart at middle linebacker and senior Darius Dewberry is listed as the top Sam linebacker.
That leaves Akeem Dent, who started 10 games in 2008, the odd man out, but linebackers coach John Jancek said not to read too much into Dent's status as a reserve. A nagging hamstring injury cost Dent nearly two weeks of practice, and that was just enough to keep him from solidifying a starting post.
“He missed a bunch of practice and Darryl has obviously done a great job,” Jancek said. “Dewberry's been back a couple weeks now and shown he's ready to play. But it's not anything where (Dent) is not going to play. He's got a role in there and will probably get just as many reps as Darryl. It's a great situation to have when you have a bunch of guys with experience.”
Jancek said he expects Dewberry, Dent, Gamble, Rennie Curran, Nick Williams and Marcus Dowtin all to see action against Oklahoma State.
EXPECTING ACTION
Defensive tackle Abry Jones and defensive end Montez Robinson may not be among the freshmen who see action in Georgia's opener, but the two have impressed enough this preseason to give Richt a good indication they'll be on the field at some point this season.
“Before this season's over, (they'll play),” Richt said. “I'm not going to say they will or won't in this first game, but we're targeting them to play this season.”
BRINGING ANOTHER BACK
Running backs coach Bryan McClendon said Caleb King told him his hamstring felt better Tuesday, but the sophomore tailback still wasn't not back and practice. Sources told the Telegraph Monday that King would not make the trip to Stillwater, but McClendon said that would not be official until the team's travel roster is released Wednesday.
Assuming King won't be able to play this week, McClendon said redshirt freshman Dontavius Jackson would be the likely fourth tailback on the depth chart behind Samuel, Carlton Thomas and Kalvin Daniels. While McClendon said freshman Washaun Ealey has turned in some strong practices this week, traveling Jackson is a more practical alternative.
“You definitely want to bring an extra guy,” McClendon said. “Dontavius is pretty much already going because we use him on some special teams.”
THIN AT RECEIVER
In last year's opener, Georgia had nine different players catch a pass against Georgia Southern, with none collecting more than three.
That distribution isn't likely to be quite so wide this year, with a thin corps of receivers that includes just six scholarship players, including two freshmen.
“We're not going to expect them to play a major role right now, but they've certainly got to be ready to play,” receivers coach Tony Ball said of his freshmen, Marlon Brown and Rantavious Wooten. “And with what we're asking them to do, I think they can go out there and perform.”
That's the expectation Cox has for them, too, but he's not planning to have the outcome of the game hinge on their success. With veterans Michael Moore and A.J. Green, Cox said he expects a few more passes to sail in the direction of Georgia's best receivers.
“You don't want to just have the other team knowing they're going to throw it to one guy,” Cox said. “So we want to spread it around, but we know who our playmakers are, and we've got to be creative in finding ways to get those guys the ball more.”
Of course, finding a breakout receiver among the freshman class wouldn't be anything new for Georgia. Last year, Green burst onto the scene in the Bulldogs' opener, catching a 36-yard reception on just his third play from scrimmage to set up a touchdown.
After watching Brown, Wooten and tight ends Arthur Lynch and Orson Charles this preseason, Green said he wouldn't be surprised to see a repeat performance from one of this year's new faces.
“I know they'll be able to handle it,” Green said. “They're confidence is pretty high right now. They listen, they work hard. They're ready.”
WALK-ON READY TO GO
If the depth at wideout becomes a problem, Ball said only one of Georgia's walk-ons is ready to step into a game situation at this point – junior Marquise Brown.
Brown, who appeared in two games last season, was an offensive star during the spring, catching three passes for 62 yards in the annual G-Day game, making him a prime option should Ball need to dig deep into his depth chart on game day.
“He's gotten a lot of work with the first and second group,” Ball said. “If I had to tag a walk-on that could help us, it would be him.”
SPEEDY SAMUEL
His style may be bruising, but there's more to Georgia tailback Richard Samuel, according to his offensive coordinator.
While Samuel's size – he's 6-2, 224 pounds – and his running style put him in a category with some fullbacks, it's his speed that sets him apart.
“Richard can run,” offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said. “He's very fast. If he gets out in the open field – there's a lot of people in this league that can run, but compared to guys we've had in the past, I'd say he's the fastest since I've been here.”
That includes Bobo's time as a player, and that's probably as far back as he has to go to find anything resembling an apt comparison.
“He's similar to Robert Edwards,” Bobo said, “and Richard might be a little bit faster.”
DOUBLE DUTY
Samuel's speed might make him a weapon on special teams, too, after he ended last season as Georgia's top kick returner.
As the opener approaches, Ball said he's still looking at four or five potential return men on kickoffs, and Samuel's other duties as starting tailback won't be a factor in who ends up getting the call on game day.
“I wouldn't hesitate to put him back there because he's got experience,” Ball said of Samuel. “I'll make my decision (based on) how he handles the ball, how he communicates. It isn't rocket science, but I've got to feel comfortable with that person.”
More Legal Problems For Okie State
Breaking news out of Stillwater: Oklahoma State's starting tight end, Jamal Mosley, has left the team.
Mosley was part of what was expected to be a committee at tight end as the Cowboys hope to replace the production of Brandon Pettigrew.
It's not yet known why Mosley left the team, but according to The Oklahoman, some legal problems could have played a part.
According to documents on the Oklahoma State Courts Network, Mosley was presented with a a restraining order on Thursday that was filed in Payne County court by Kayla Starks. It is unknown whether that situation and Mosley's departure from the team are related.
"Jamal Mosley is leaving our football team for personal reasons," OSU coach Mike Gundy said in a statement. "He has been a good teammate and we wish him the best. We will have no further comment on this matter."
This is the second incident of an Oklahoma State player running into legal trouble in the past 24 hours. It was reported yesterday that starting cornerback Perrish Cox was arrested for driving on a suspended license.
So, let's see... tons of preseason hype, highest ranking in school history, off-field legal problems, talented offense but questionable defense, SI cover jinx... it's almost scary how similar Okie State is to last year's Georgia team.
Just the Facts
Some might look at my diagnosis of the potential problems Zac Robinson could cause Georgia and label me a pessimist.
Some might read my story in today's Telegraph about all of Oklahoma State's offensive weapons and assumed I was picking the Cowboys to win handily on Saturday.
Some might even assume that due to my excessive amount of orange t-shirts, I'd be pulling for the Cow Pokes secretly.
In fact, nothing could be farther from the truth.
I do think this game provides a good opening-week test for Georgia, and I think the talented first opponent was a good motivation for the team this offseason.
But if I were a betting man (thanks, Delaware!), I'd have my money on Georgia.
Here are 11 reasons why...
1. The last time Georgia lost its opening game, the world had never heard of Monica Lewinski, JonBenet Ramsey was living happily with her family, Tupac Shakur was two weeks away from being (maybe) killed, "Macarena" was atop the Billboard charts, Mark Richt was about to lead Florida State to an 11-0 regular season record, and the Big XII conference had never played a football game.
2. Georgia comes into the game ranked 13th in the nation. That's considered a disappointing start to the year. Oklahoma State is ranked ninth. That's got people talking about lofty expectations.
3. Under Mark Richt, Georgia has racked up an impressive mark of 17-3 against non-conference BCS teams. Under Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State's record in such games is 4-12.
4. You may remember THIS from last season. That didn't work out so well. Which should get you excited about THIS.
5. Because Rennie Curran says so: "If everybody's doing their job, containing the quarterback, stopping the run and making them kind of one-dimensional, it can be a long day for them." Confidence is great, isn't it?
6. When it comes to looking dumb on YouTube, Mark Richt isn't so bad. Mike Gundy, on the other hand, well, he's a man, and he's 40.
7. I have a stats page for my blog that shows what site is sending readers my way. Despite the fact that it has been more than a year since I started the blog, I still get a good number of readers linking from David Ching's old blog from when he was with the Ledger-Enquirer. Anyway, the other day I decided to take a look back at what David was writing about leading up to the Georgia-Oklahoma State opener in 2007, and I was surprised at the amount of concern the Cowboys' offense engendered way back then. So... Okie State had some scary weapons on offense in 2007. The final score of that game was 35-14, Georgia.
8. Mark Richt has a career mark of 30-4 in an opponent's stadium, including a 10-2 record against ranked foes.
9. When it comes to motivational music videos, Georgia knows how to party. Oklahoma State? Eh, not so much. (h/t Nick V.)
10. Georgia won 10 games last season and people are talking about Mark Richt's job being in jeopardy. Oklahoma State, on the other hand, last won 10 games when Ronald Reagan was president. (And if you're looking for more "remember whens"... the Cubs had never played a night game, Microsoft was riding high after the release of Windows 2.1, NASA resumed shuttle flights for the first time following the Challenger disaster and Matthew Stafford had just been born.) Oh, and in the time since Oklahoma State last won 10 games, it has also lost 10 games in a season.
11. There's nothing quite like Southern exceptionalism, or at least that's what an Oklahoma professor has to say. But wait... is it bragging if you really are better than everyone else?
So... am I missing a few? Chime in with your thoughts on the game in the comments section.
Some might read my story in today's Telegraph about all of Oklahoma State's offensive weapons and assumed I was picking the Cowboys to win handily on Saturday.
Some might even assume that due to my excessive amount of orange t-shirts, I'd be pulling for the Cow Pokes secretly.
In fact, nothing could be farther from the truth.
I do think this game provides a good opening-week test for Georgia, and I think the talented first opponent was a good motivation for the team this offseason.
But if I were a betting man (thanks, Delaware!), I'd have my money on Georgia.
Here are 11 reasons why...
1. The last time Georgia lost its opening game, the world had never heard of Monica Lewinski, JonBenet Ramsey was living happily with her family, Tupac Shakur was two weeks away from being (maybe) killed, "Macarena" was atop the Billboard charts, Mark Richt was about to lead Florida State to an 11-0 regular season record, and the Big XII conference had never played a football game.
2. Georgia comes into the game ranked 13th in the nation. That's considered a disappointing start to the year. Oklahoma State is ranked ninth. That's got people talking about lofty expectations.
3. Under Mark Richt, Georgia has racked up an impressive mark of 17-3 against non-conference BCS teams. Under Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State's record in such games is 4-12.
4. You may remember THIS from last season. That didn't work out so well. Which should get you excited about THIS.
5. Because Rennie Curran says so: "If everybody's doing their job, containing the quarterback, stopping the run and making them kind of one-dimensional, it can be a long day for them." Confidence is great, isn't it?
6. When it comes to looking dumb on YouTube, Mark Richt isn't so bad. Mike Gundy, on the other hand, well, he's a man, and he's 40.
7. I have a stats page for my blog that shows what site is sending readers my way. Despite the fact that it has been more than a year since I started the blog, I still get a good number of readers linking from David Ching's old blog from when he was with the Ledger-Enquirer. Anyway, the other day I decided to take a look back at what David was writing about leading up to the Georgia-Oklahoma State opener in 2007, and I was surprised at the amount of concern the Cowboys' offense engendered way back then. So... Okie State had some scary weapons on offense in 2007. The final score of that game was 35-14, Georgia.
8. Mark Richt has a career mark of 30-4 in an opponent's stadium, including a 10-2 record against ranked foes.
9. When it comes to motivational music videos, Georgia knows how to party. Oklahoma State? Eh, not so much. (h/t Nick V.)
10. Georgia won 10 games last season and people are talking about Mark Richt's job being in jeopardy. Oklahoma State, on the other hand, last won 10 games when Ronald Reagan was president. (And if you're looking for more "remember whens"... the Cubs had never played a night game, Microsoft was riding high after the release of Windows 2.1, NASA resumed shuttle flights for the first time following the Challenger disaster and Matthew Stafford had just been born.) Oh, and in the time since Oklahoma State last won 10 games, it has also lost 10 games in a season.
11. There's nothing quite like Southern exceptionalism, or at least that's what an Oklahoma professor has to say. But wait... is it bragging if you really are better than everyone else?
So... am I missing a few? Chime in with your thoughts on the game in the comments section.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Okie State Talks Bulldogs
Per Oklahoma State release...
Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy and selected Cowboy players met with members of the media Monday at (T-Bone) Pickens Stadium to discuss Saturday's season opener against No. 13 Georgia. Here are some of the highlights:
Mike Gundy
On the first week finally arriving
"We've had a couple weeks of preparation. I think our players are very excited; I know the coaches are. There's been a lot of excitement in this area in the last few weeks. I don't know if I've ever been around Stillwater when the `I need tickets' signs start going up last weekend at the local gas stations. We're all looking forward to another week of practice and the big game on Saturday."
On players wanting another shot at Georgia
"I wish I had an answer for that. That's kind of like the revenge factor. That question got brought up some last year when we played Troy. I think each individual has to handle that differently. Myself personally, I've gone way past that. We've had so many games since then. If that's something that can help motivate a player to compete and play hard, then I'm OK with that."
On limiting media access lately
"The reason we did it was because we had 16 open-media practices in a row. I felt like 16 opportunities in a 29-opportunity practice schedule was a quite a bit to start with. I noticed that the questions became very repetitive. It was the same thing over and over and over. I thought this is crazy; you guys should be home at dinner. It gave you a chance to be home by 5:30 or 6, not hanging around up here until 8 o'clock at night. I saw the players somewhat fatigued in that area. I felt like it would be better off for us to separate for eight or 10 days until we got to the week of the game."
On difference in program and team from two years ago
"I'm not sure yet. The question that you get all the time is `compare this game to what happened two years ago'. My answer has been, I think Georgia is a very good football team. I think they have a lot of talent. I think they're very strong, they're very physical. But, I think our football team overall, in all three phases from an organizational standpoint, I think we're a better team than we were. I think Georgia is as good as they were when we played them two years. I've said this a number of times, they lost a couple of first-round picks, but Georgia's got players. They always have and I'm going to guess for a long time they always will. The best example I can give is the first time we ever heard of Knowshon Moreno was when we played him. They were concerned if they had anybody that would be able to run the football."
On if Georgia game has the most hype of any season opener
“When we played at Nebraska a few years ago, there was a lot of anticipation at that game. I think just the local buzz and maybe even more so in the state, because of the preseason ranking. I don’t know what the numbers are, but it’s the highest we’ve been ranked preseason in a long time. Because of that, there’s a lot of excitement. We’ve had to work very hard to minimize that and try to get the players focused. We have to make sure they understand the most important thing is to prepare, practice and get ready to play the game.”
CB Perrish Cox
On what sticks out to him about Georgia
“The whole team. Georgia’s always been a good team. They are very talented at all positions. When we watch them, they are a nice power team. They’re just a power house.”
On how he’s preparing for Georgia wide receiver A.J. Green
“Going against Dez Bryant every day, I mean that’s all you can ask for. Green, he’s a talented receiver all around. Me and the other corners and safeties have got to go in prepared and ready. You look at him and every game they’re sending him deep and he catches some wild passes. We’ve just got to go in and defend him.”
On the game making or breaking the Cowboys’ season
“We try to keep our focus away from that and try to focus on the big picture at the end. We’re going in and playing a top-ranked team. They’ve always been a talented team week in and week out every year.”
DE Jamie Blatnick
On the key to stopping a power running game
“It would be assignments, getting in the backfield, messing up their timing, the hand-offs, the pulls. Then it would be just being more physical than their offensive line. It’s a challenge we look forward to doing.”
On how they prepare for a quarterback they’ve never seen play before
“The same way we prepare for a quarterback that we’ve seen play. Just watch what film we have on him and just don’t underestimate him. He seems like he’s a solid quarterback. He seems like he could run the ball, actually.”
QB Zac Robinson
On his confidence that the Cowboys’ offense will be able to do what it wants
“We feel good about the game plan and what we do offensively. We know that if we take care of the ball and control the tempo and just do the things that we’ve always done, we should be fine. Hopefully we can get some of those explosive plays and score enough points to win the game.”
On how he fits in as a team leader
“I know that guys look to me as a leader and anytime you’re the starting quarterback, they’re going to look to you as that. The thing about our team is we have so many great leaders. We have so many seniors that take leadership roles on offense and defense. Russell (Okung) and (Andre) Sexton and Perrish Cox, a bunch of those guys have stepped up. This is my third year as the starter. I’ve just tried to improve being a leader every year and just kind of lead by example and hopefully guys follow.”
On if he’s ready to kick off or if he needs the rest of the week
“I’m ready to kick this off right now. It’s been a long time and I know guys are excited and if we could play tomorrow I’d be all about it.”
CB Terrance Anderson
On if he expected to play in big games like this
“Actually, yes I did. Coming into the Big 12, you have to expect to come and play against some of the best talent in the country. Coming in, I was like, `Hey if I can go and make it in the Big 12 everything else is going to be alright.’”
On if OSU got more preseason hype than he expected
“I could probably say it’s a little bit more than I expected. We’re actually getting known nationally for the first time, finally. We’ve been working up to it, so now it’s just time to put the pads on and go out there and show everybody why we’re ranked so high.”
On if he’s looking forward to the challenge of facing A.J. Green
“Oh yeah. I go against, in my opinion, the No. 1 receiver in the country every day, so this is just another step to try and prove that our secondary is getting better and better.”
DL Nigel Nicholas
On the talent in the Big 12 versus the SEC
“I really don’t know. Every league has great players and great teams. Football is football.”
On if the defense’s first goal is to stop the run
“We’re not too focused on stopping the run or stopping the pass. We’re just really focused on going out there and playing hard. If you play hard everything’s going to work out. Like coach Young says, `The harder you play, the luckier you’re gonna get.’ So we’re just going to go out and play hard.”
Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy and selected Cowboy players met with members of the media Monday at (T-Bone) Pickens Stadium to discuss Saturday's season opener against No. 13 Georgia. Here are some of the highlights:
Mike Gundy
On the first week finally arriving
"We've had a couple weeks of preparation. I think our players are very excited; I know the coaches are. There's been a lot of excitement in this area in the last few weeks. I don't know if I've ever been around Stillwater when the `I need tickets' signs start going up last weekend at the local gas stations. We're all looking forward to another week of practice and the big game on Saturday."
On players wanting another shot at Georgia
"I wish I had an answer for that. That's kind of like the revenge factor. That question got brought up some last year when we played Troy. I think each individual has to handle that differently. Myself personally, I've gone way past that. We've had so many games since then. If that's something that can help motivate a player to compete and play hard, then I'm OK with that."
On limiting media access lately
"The reason we did it was because we had 16 open-media practices in a row. I felt like 16 opportunities in a 29-opportunity practice schedule was a quite a bit to start with. I noticed that the questions became very repetitive. It was the same thing over and over and over. I thought this is crazy; you guys should be home at dinner. It gave you a chance to be home by 5:30 or 6, not hanging around up here until 8 o'clock at night. I saw the players somewhat fatigued in that area. I felt like it would be better off for us to separate for eight or 10 days until we got to the week of the game."
On difference in program and team from two years ago
"I'm not sure yet. The question that you get all the time is `compare this game to what happened two years ago'. My answer has been, I think Georgia is a very good football team. I think they have a lot of talent. I think they're very strong, they're very physical. But, I think our football team overall, in all three phases from an organizational standpoint, I think we're a better team than we were. I think Georgia is as good as they were when we played them two years. I've said this a number of times, they lost a couple of first-round picks, but Georgia's got players. They always have and I'm going to guess for a long time they always will. The best example I can give is the first time we ever heard of Knowshon Moreno was when we played him. They were concerned if they had anybody that would be able to run the football."
On if Georgia game has the most hype of any season opener
“When we played at Nebraska a few years ago, there was a lot of anticipation at that game. I think just the local buzz and maybe even more so in the state, because of the preseason ranking. I don’t know what the numbers are, but it’s the highest we’ve been ranked preseason in a long time. Because of that, there’s a lot of excitement. We’ve had to work very hard to minimize that and try to get the players focused. We have to make sure they understand the most important thing is to prepare, practice and get ready to play the game.”
CB Perrish Cox
On what sticks out to him about Georgia
“The whole team. Georgia’s always been a good team. They are very talented at all positions. When we watch them, they are a nice power team. They’re just a power house.”
On how he’s preparing for Georgia wide receiver A.J. Green
“Going against Dez Bryant every day, I mean that’s all you can ask for. Green, he’s a talented receiver all around. Me and the other corners and safeties have got to go in prepared and ready. You look at him and every game they’re sending him deep and he catches some wild passes. We’ve just got to go in and defend him.”
On the game making or breaking the Cowboys’ season
“We try to keep our focus away from that and try to focus on the big picture at the end. We’re going in and playing a top-ranked team. They’ve always been a talented team week in and week out every year.”
DE Jamie Blatnick
On the key to stopping a power running game
“It would be assignments, getting in the backfield, messing up their timing, the hand-offs, the pulls. Then it would be just being more physical than their offensive line. It’s a challenge we look forward to doing.”
On how they prepare for a quarterback they’ve never seen play before
“The same way we prepare for a quarterback that we’ve seen play. Just watch what film we have on him and just don’t underestimate him. He seems like he’s a solid quarterback. He seems like he could run the ball, actually.”
QB Zac Robinson
On his confidence that the Cowboys’ offense will be able to do what it wants
“We feel good about the game plan and what we do offensively. We know that if we take care of the ball and control the tempo and just do the things that we’ve always done, we should be fine. Hopefully we can get some of those explosive plays and score enough points to win the game.”
On how he fits in as a team leader
“I know that guys look to me as a leader and anytime you’re the starting quarterback, they’re going to look to you as that. The thing about our team is we have so many great leaders. We have so many seniors that take leadership roles on offense and defense. Russell (Okung) and (Andre) Sexton and Perrish Cox, a bunch of those guys have stepped up. This is my third year as the starter. I’ve just tried to improve being a leader every year and just kind of lead by example and hopefully guys follow.”
On if he’s ready to kick off or if he needs the rest of the week
“I’m ready to kick this off right now. It’s been a long time and I know guys are excited and if we could play tomorrow I’d be all about it.”
CB Terrance Anderson
On if he expected to play in big games like this
“Actually, yes I did. Coming into the Big 12, you have to expect to come and play against some of the best talent in the country. Coming in, I was like, `Hey if I can go and make it in the Big 12 everything else is going to be alright.’”
On if OSU got more preseason hype than he expected
“I could probably say it’s a little bit more than I expected. We’re actually getting known nationally for the first time, finally. We’ve been working up to it, so now it’s just time to put the pads on and go out there and show everybody why we’re ranked so high.”
On if he’s looking forward to the challenge of facing A.J. Green
“Oh yeah. I go against, in my opinion, the No. 1 receiver in the country every day, so this is just another step to try and prove that our secondary is getting better and better.”
DL Nigel Nicholas
On the talent in the Big 12 versus the SEC
“I really don’t know. Every league has great players and great teams. Football is football.”
On if the defense’s first goal is to stop the run
“We’re not too focused on stopping the run or stopping the pass. We’re just really focused on going out there and playing hard. If you play hard everything’s going to work out. Like coach Young says, `The harder you play, the luckier you’re gonna get.’ So we’re just going to go out and play hard.”
Has Damon Doomed the Dawgs?
The grand plan seemed to make enough sense at the time. When the NCAA added a 12th game to the regular season, Damon Evans decided Georgia should add a big(ger)-name non-regional game to fill its annual slate. The idea behind the theory was that the games would garner national attention and help Georgia market itself beyond the Southeast.
Again, in theory, it was a win-win scenario. From a business standpoint, fans who had never been within 1,000 miles of Sanford Stadium would have a chance to see Georgia up close and personal, and maybe become fans of the Bulldogs along the way. From a TV standpoint, Georgia would be in line to headline the day's slate of games thanks to a matchup with national appeal. And from a football standpoint, the games would help Mark Richt and company widen the team's recruiting base.
In theory, it made sense. But with with easily the biggest of these supposed marquee matchups looming in Stillwater, Okla. in five days, has it really worked?
That probably depends on who you ask.
For one, the games haven't exactly lived up to the national billing. Last year's Arizona State trip was a lot of fun for the fans, but after the Sun Devils lost to UNLV the week before, the matchup lost much of its national appeal. As it turned out, the rest of Arizona State's season went down the toilet, too, meaning the win didn't even register as a particularly impressive one for Georgia by year's end either.
What did register was the inconvenience of making the trip.
"One of the biggest issues with it, just living through the Arizona State travel, that’s a tough trip to fly all the way over there and come back and be ready to keep grinding. The travel part is tougher than who you’re playing,” Richt said. “If all these teams we wanted to play would always come to Sanford Stadium or even Atlanta for that matter, I think it would be better for us.”
Richt has made no bones about saying he thinks the scheduling hasn't particularly worked in Georgia's favor, and while its hard to pin too much of the blame on the travel, Georgia did fall behind 31-0 in the first half of its next game after the ASU trip.
Of course, Richt's viewing the schedule from the perspective of a football coach, and Evans is obviously taking more of a business approach. On that level, he said, there's no questioning the success of the plan.
"It was an exciting time at Arizona State," Evans said. "I haven’t met a person yet who said it wasn’t a great trip, who said it wasn’t a great game. I remember Kirk Herbstreit saying, 'This is what Georgia needs to do.' I’ve always believed that and I will continue to believe that we need to continue to step out of this region. That’s why Oklahoma State, that’s why Arizona State, that’s why Colorado. Some might say, 'Damon, it’s too tough.' Maybe it is, but I’m not so sure. When you schedule those games, you don’t know how it’s going to play out. I know we’re in a tough conference but I want to get around and help grow that presence nationally, and I have confidence in us to be able to compete and beat those opponents, so that’s the route I’m going to continue to go.”
Evans may deem the tough scheduling as a win for Georgia, but the only wins that really count are the ones in the standings, and fans are getting a little tired of looking up at Florida -- a team that has made no bones about keeping a manageable schedule.
"Do we wake up and say, (UF AD) Jeremy (Foley) and I sit down, let's put together the most difficult schedule in college football? Absolutely not," Florida coach Urban Meyer said. "We have some great rivalries within the state. We're going to do that. There's not a whole lot of discussion about going out. Once again, our scheduling philosophy is we want to play at least one big time program. That's built in our schedule every year. Sometimes when you see USC play Ohio State, that's their big one. We already have FSU. Then we'll try every couple years to get another one in there. That's kind of what we've done."
That might be a valid point if Florida State had been a remotely "big" opponent at any point during Meyer's tenure, but that simply hasn't been the case. Still, it's a big-name opponent and the talent level on the field at FSU certainly takes its toll on the Gators.
Only... it doesn't really. That games ends the regular season for Florida, meaning the wear and tear of playing a top-tier opponent would only really be felt in a potential SEC title game (and yes, the Gators looked a bit "off" in the first half of last year's SEC championship) before the team got a month off to relax and recuperate before its bowl game.
That could be true for Georgia, too, but Evans isn't putting Georgia Tech in the same category as Florida State.
"In Florida, they have two teams (Florida State and Miami) who have historically competed for national championships that they play," Evans said. "We haven’t had that in-state rival that’s been at that high of a level."
Food for thought for those Tech fans who sit and wait patiently for each new AJC blog to post so they can immediately add a snarky comment.
But there's also this argument from Evans: If you win tough games, it gives you a clearer path to the national championship.
"What big games do for you is give you national exposure in the voters mind, so that’s what I hope these games will do for us," Evans said. "I don’t think it will backfire."
Oh no?
Well, it seems odd then that many of those voters are the ones penning preseason prognostications that say things like, "If Florida gets past its lone tough game at LSU, a national title seems a near certainty" and "The winner of Texas-Oklahoma will almost surely play for the national championship."
That's three teams that each play essentially one marquee opponent all year (at least "marquee" in the sense that the writers seem to be applying the term) and they're getting a free pass to a national title shot.
But let's take this scenario: If Georgia loses to Florida by 3, but Florida loses to LSU by 10, and both teams win the rest of their games -- including the Bulldogs' season opener against Oklahoma State -- both would have one loss, but the Gators would go to the SEC title game. Do you think there's any chance that Georgia would then play for a national championship over Florida? Hey, beating Oklahoma State in 2007 sure didn't help put the Bulldogs past a two-loss LSU team.
The bottom line is that the scheduling has been a business decision, and even that is only true if your business's mission statement doesn't begin with: Win football games.
I'm in no way suggesting Georgia shouldn't have a challenging schedule, but life in the SEC with an annual matchup against Georgia Tech is pretty challenging. That's the way Richt sees it, too.
And even if you want to award some bonus points for appealing to a broader audience, the fact remains that the new SEC TV deal with ESPN tends to negate that argument, too.
“The plan was never to have Oklahoma State and Arizona State and Georgia Tech," Richt said. "That was never the plan. We did it because we wanted to do it for the fans and to get out of the Southeast region, but living through it is a little bit tougher. We had enough to get Georgia out there, but now it’s every game, every SEC game at least.”
In the end, winning SEC and national championships broadens your national allure. Losing in Stillwater -- or perhaps more likely, at home to South Carolina a week later after an exhausting trip West -- doesn't make you a whole lot of new fans.
Evans has gone on record as saying he wants Georgia to emulate the success Florida has achieved. That just doesn't seem to apply when it comes to scheduling.
ADDENDUM: I'll have more on this in a little bit, but for those touting the worthiness of the schedule, here's one other note to consider...
In the five out-of-region games Georgia has played since 2005 (Okla. State, Ariz. State, Central Mich., Colorado, Boise State), the Bulldogs are 5-0 in those games, with only the Colorado game being remotely close.
But look ahead one week. In Georgia's next game after playing a non-region opponent, the Bulldogs are just 3-2, with all three wins coming by 7 points or less (and if you remember any of those three wins, you know they all could easily have been losses).
That simply underscores what both Richt and I are saying: It's not necessarily about the final score against the tough opponent, it's about the toll it takes to play them.
Again, in theory, it was a win-win scenario. From a business standpoint, fans who had never been within 1,000 miles of Sanford Stadium would have a chance to see Georgia up close and personal, and maybe become fans of the Bulldogs along the way. From a TV standpoint, Georgia would be in line to headline the day's slate of games thanks to a matchup with national appeal. And from a football standpoint, the games would help Mark Richt and company widen the team's recruiting base.
In theory, it made sense. But with with easily the biggest of these supposed marquee matchups looming in Stillwater, Okla. in five days, has it really worked?
That probably depends on who you ask.
For one, the games haven't exactly lived up to the national billing. Last year's Arizona State trip was a lot of fun for the fans, but after the Sun Devils lost to UNLV the week before, the matchup lost much of its national appeal. As it turned out, the rest of Arizona State's season went down the toilet, too, meaning the win didn't even register as a particularly impressive one for Georgia by year's end either.
What did register was the inconvenience of making the trip.
"One of the biggest issues with it, just living through the Arizona State travel, that’s a tough trip to fly all the way over there and come back and be ready to keep grinding. The travel part is tougher than who you’re playing,” Richt said. “If all these teams we wanted to play would always come to Sanford Stadium or even Atlanta for that matter, I think it would be better for us.”
Richt has made no bones about saying he thinks the scheduling hasn't particularly worked in Georgia's favor, and while its hard to pin too much of the blame on the travel, Georgia did fall behind 31-0 in the first half of its next game after the ASU trip.
Of course, Richt's viewing the schedule from the perspective of a football coach, and Evans is obviously taking more of a business approach. On that level, he said, there's no questioning the success of the plan.
"It was an exciting time at Arizona State," Evans said. "I haven’t met a person yet who said it wasn’t a great trip, who said it wasn’t a great game. I remember Kirk Herbstreit saying, 'This is what Georgia needs to do.' I’ve always believed that and I will continue to believe that we need to continue to step out of this region. That’s why Oklahoma State, that’s why Arizona State, that’s why Colorado. Some might say, 'Damon, it’s too tough.' Maybe it is, but I’m not so sure. When you schedule those games, you don’t know how it’s going to play out. I know we’re in a tough conference but I want to get around and help grow that presence nationally, and I have confidence in us to be able to compete and beat those opponents, so that’s the route I’m going to continue to go.”
Evans may deem the tough scheduling as a win for Georgia, but the only wins that really count are the ones in the standings, and fans are getting a little tired of looking up at Florida -- a team that has made no bones about keeping a manageable schedule.
"Do we wake up and say, (UF AD) Jeremy (Foley) and I sit down, let's put together the most difficult schedule in college football? Absolutely not," Florida coach Urban Meyer said. "We have some great rivalries within the state. We're going to do that. There's not a whole lot of discussion about going out. Once again, our scheduling philosophy is we want to play at least one big time program. That's built in our schedule every year. Sometimes when you see USC play Ohio State, that's their big one. We already have FSU. Then we'll try every couple years to get another one in there. That's kind of what we've done."
That might be a valid point if Florida State had been a remotely "big" opponent at any point during Meyer's tenure, but that simply hasn't been the case. Still, it's a big-name opponent and the talent level on the field at FSU certainly takes its toll on the Gators.
Only... it doesn't really. That games ends the regular season for Florida, meaning the wear and tear of playing a top-tier opponent would only really be felt in a potential SEC title game (and yes, the Gators looked a bit "off" in the first half of last year's SEC championship) before the team got a month off to relax and recuperate before its bowl game.
That could be true for Georgia, too, but Evans isn't putting Georgia Tech in the same category as Florida State.
"In Florida, they have two teams (Florida State and Miami) who have historically competed for national championships that they play," Evans said. "We haven’t had that in-state rival that’s been at that high of a level."
Food for thought for those Tech fans who sit and wait patiently for each new AJC blog to post so they can immediately add a snarky comment.
But there's also this argument from Evans: If you win tough games, it gives you a clearer path to the national championship.
"What big games do for you is give you national exposure in the voters mind, so that’s what I hope these games will do for us," Evans said. "I don’t think it will backfire."
Oh no?
Well, it seems odd then that many of those voters are the ones penning preseason prognostications that say things like, "If Florida gets past its lone tough game at LSU, a national title seems a near certainty" and "The winner of Texas-Oklahoma will almost surely play for the national championship."
That's three teams that each play essentially one marquee opponent all year (at least "marquee" in the sense that the writers seem to be applying the term) and they're getting a free pass to a national title shot.
But let's take this scenario: If Georgia loses to Florida by 3, but Florida loses to LSU by 10, and both teams win the rest of their games -- including the Bulldogs' season opener against Oklahoma State -- both would have one loss, but the Gators would go to the SEC title game. Do you think there's any chance that Georgia would then play for a national championship over Florida? Hey, beating Oklahoma State in 2007 sure didn't help put the Bulldogs past a two-loss LSU team.
The bottom line is that the scheduling has been a business decision, and even that is only true if your business's mission statement doesn't begin with: Win football games.
I'm in no way suggesting Georgia shouldn't have a challenging schedule, but life in the SEC with an annual matchup against Georgia Tech is pretty challenging. That's the way Richt sees it, too.
And even if you want to award some bonus points for appealing to a broader audience, the fact remains that the new SEC TV deal with ESPN tends to negate that argument, too.
“The plan was never to have Oklahoma State and Arizona State and Georgia Tech," Richt said. "That was never the plan. We did it because we wanted to do it for the fans and to get out of the Southeast region, but living through it is a little bit tougher. We had enough to get Georgia out there, but now it’s every game, every SEC game at least.”
In the end, winning SEC and national championships broadens your national allure. Losing in Stillwater -- or perhaps more likely, at home to South Carolina a week later after an exhausting trip West -- doesn't make you a whole lot of new fans.
Evans has gone on record as saying he wants Georgia to emulate the success Florida has achieved. That just doesn't seem to apply when it comes to scheduling.
ADDENDUM: I'll have more on this in a little bit, but for those touting the worthiness of the schedule, here's one other note to consider...
In the five out-of-region games Georgia has played since 2005 (Okla. State, Ariz. State, Central Mich., Colorado, Boise State), the Bulldogs are 5-0 in those games, with only the Colorado game being remotely close.
But look ahead one week. In Georgia's next game after playing a non-region opponent, the Bulldogs are just 3-2, with all three wins coming by 7 points or less (and if you remember any of those three wins, you know they all could easily have been losses).
That simply underscores what both Richt and I are saying: It's not necessarily about the final score against the tough opponent, it's about the toll it takes to play them.
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