Many of Chris Brown’s posts over at Smart Football are great jumping-off points because they introduce concepts that lead you to wonder how your team might use them. This post about a reverse to the wide (or slot) receiver is a good example. Back to that in a second.
There’s no question that Malcolm Mitchell will play a role on both sides of the ball this year. Those roles, the number of plays he’ll see, and the tug-of-war between coaches on offense and defense have been some of the most-covered stories of the offseason.
But Georgia has another player who’s seen more than a couple of snaps on both sides of the ball in his three seasons. Smith has developed into a likely senior starter at cornerback. He’s made plays on special teams. But if you had to identify Smith with a single play, it would still be this play on offense as a freshman against South Carolina:
It seems as if Smith has been chasing that play for the rest of his career. He arrived at Georgia with even more two-way hype than Mitchell. The Champ Bailey comparisons were out there even before the South Carolina game. His electrifying run off the reverse and startling acceleration set a high bar, and it’s been tough living up to the expectations that came from just one play – at least on offense.
As a freshman in 2009 Smith ran the ball 17 times for 208 yards. He scored twice. In the two years since, Smith has a total of only 19 carries and 146 yards. His lone touchdown since his freshman season came against New Mexico State last year. As a receiver, Smith has been less productive: through three seasons he has seven receptions for 63 yards and no scores. Nearly all of those receptions have come on some sort of flare or screen. Without establishing much of a downfield threat, Smith’s repertoire on offense has been limited to those screens or direct handoffs, and it’s no doubt limited his production as defenses learn what to expect from him.
That brings us back to Brown’s post. Smith obviously has something to offer the offense, but the selection of plays is limited. The play Brown illustrates is one that seems right down Smith’s (not to mention Mitchell’s) alley. It looks a bit like a reverse, but it’s not a trick play – it’s actually a pretty straightforward running play. The key difference is the faked inside run. On Smith’s reverse against the Gamecocks, the tailback makes the pitch and is more or less out of the play after drawing the defense to the wrong side of the field. By faking the inside handoff to the eventual side of the run, the tailback stays in the play to become the lead blocker. The motion away from the direction of the run helps to draw the defense just as a reverse does.
Could it work for Georgia? Murray is more than mobile enough to execute his part. The Dawgs have several tough tailbacks who could lead the run. And Smith and Mitchell are exactly the kind of big-play speed guys who could break a long run on this play. Of course this is just one wrinkle of many an offense could use. If Smith is going to get plays on offense again – and there’s no reason to think he won’t – it’s worth exploring some different ways to help him realize the potential he showed as a freshman.
Georgia coaches have set a benchmark for junior quarterback Aaron Murray’s improvement: become more accurate and complete 62% of pass attempts.* Murray so far during preseason camp seems up to the challenge, so quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator Mike Bobo is asking for even more. “I just want to set the standard a little bit higher than 62. I think we’re capable of reaching that,” Bobo explained.
How audacious is this goal? Consider that no starting quarterback under Mark Richt at Georgia has had a better completion percentage than Stafford in 2008 at 61.4%. In fact, starters in 8 of Richt’s 11 seasons have thrown for under 60%. Only two quarterbacks in Georgia history have had a better season than Bobo’s original 62% benchmark: Zeier in 1993 (63.29%) and Bobo in 1997 (65.03%). Bobo’s new target is the very peak of historical Georgia quarterback performance. So if Murray has the kind of season Bobo envisions, it will be one for the record books and will shatter the standard set for Richt/Bobo quarterbacks.
Starting quarterback completion percentage for Richt teams:
2011: 59.1% (Murray)
2010: 61.1% (Murray)
2009: 55.9% (Cox)
2008: 61.4% (Stafford)
2007: 55.7% (Stafford)
2006: 52.7% (Stafford)
2005: 55.8% (Shockley)
2004: 58.5% (Greene)
2003: 60.3% (Greene)
2002: 57.5% (Greene)
2001: 59.3% (Greene)
But there’s another context. A completion rate of 65% or even 60% would be good by Georgia and Richt standards, but how about nationally? In that light, Georgia’s record books and expectations are a little less impressive. Last season 64 qualifying quarterbacks had a completion percentage over 60%. 26 were at 65% or better and would be at the top of Georgia’s all-time list. Murray clearly has his own part to play, but is there something about Georgia’s offense that doesn’t lend itself to particularly high completion rates? You can credit SEC defenses to a point, but there’s McCarron at 66.8% and Shaw at 65.4%. Does it say anything about Georgia’s offense that South Carolina’s backup can end up with a completion percentage that would rank as the best ever at Georgia?
* – True, completion percentage isn’t everything. It’s only one way to measure quarterback effectiveness, and there’s a lot more that goes into a good efficiency rating.
These aren’t key players in the sense of Aaron Murray or Jarvis Jones, and some might not even start the entire season. But these three players could be answers at some of Georgia’s most uncertain positions, and the degree to which they’re successful could help to sort out additional questions on both sides of the ball.
1) Kolton Houston. Who is Kolton Houston? Does he exist? At least Mudcat played once or twice. The redshirt sophomore was named a possible contributor heading into the 2011 season before a puzzling and unspecified “eligibility issue” kept him out for the entire season.
Houston showed his potential value to the 2012 team during a strong spring in which he established himself as a likely starter at right tackle. Houston’s status is still up in the air, and Mark Richt wasn’t able or willing to provide anything concrete during SEC Media Days.
Houston’s availability is a domino that could affect the rest of the line. If he’s able to go, Georgia will have the depth at tackle to bring promising freshman John Theus along at a proper pace. With Houston, Gates, Dantzler, and Long available, the Dawgs will have some options. Those options could trickle over to guard and even center depending on Andrews’ readiness and the need to shuffle around the interior line. Without Houston, Georgia will have less flexibility on the line and might have to dip into its younger pool of players sooner.
2) Marlon Brown. Is he a senior already? It was considered quite a coup when Brown chose to head to Georgia from his hometown of Memphis after Signing Day in 2009. The recruiting battle was so heated that Brown was booed by the Tennessee crowd when the freshman made a brief appearance in Georgia’s 2009 loss in Knoxville.
Brown’s career has been slow to develop with just 28 receptions through three seasons, but he made some progress as a junior. Brown accounted for 15 receptions, 234 yards, and 3 touchdowns in 2011. His biggest contribution came at Vanderbilt – four receptions, 121 yards, and two long touchdowns. That performance in Nashville was a revelation, but it didn’t turn out to be a breakout game for Brown. He didn’t notch more than two receptions in any subsequent game.
The outstanding 2011 recruiting class ensured that youth would contribute at several positions, but no position depended on newcomers more than receiver. Veterans like King and the tight ends had their impact, but try to imagine the 2011 season without Bennett, Conley, and, of course, Mitchell. This receiving corps will return intact for 2012, but their workload will likely increase given the changes at the tight end position.
That increased workload will come, at least at first, with a lot less Malcolm Mitchell. Mitchell will spend the first part of the season at cornerback, and his skills – especially as a deep threat – will be missed. Bennett and Conley (if healthy) will get plenty of opportunities, and Justin Scott-Wesley and Rantavious Wooten should contribute as well. Brown might not have the speed of Mitchell, but he’s a large target. If King and Scott-Wesley can stretch defenses, Brown could have some room in which to operate. Georgia will have a much more potent passing attack with Mitchell on the field, but a strong senior season for Brown should help ease the impact when Mitchell isn’t available.
3) Damian Swann. Swann is on the other side of the Malcolm Mitchell tug-of-war. Though Mitchell’s role will be fairly clear early on during the Commings suspension, it’s the development of younger defensive backs such as Swann that will determine Mitchell’s primary position later in the year.
With Commings in the lineup and Smith locking down the other cornerback spot, Swann will still have an important role as a third or nickel defensive back. There isn’t much help on the way from the incoming class, but Sheldon Dawson could get a look. It will be up to Swann and Devin Bowman and possibly even Blake Sailors to shore up the depth when Commings returns. Marc Deas might be able to slide over from safety and help in a pinch.
Even with Commings, the cornerback spot isn’t all that deep. It seems unavoidable that Mitchell will have to be used in some capacity throughout the season. With the departure of Smith and Commings following this season, Swann will be looked to as a likely starter in 2013. Whether he can play like it in 2012 will have a lot to say about where Mitchell spends most of his season.
If you want a qualified look at how the rest of the SEC views the 2012 Bulldogs, there’s not many better resources than the SEC blog Team Speed Kills. They’re working through the conference looking at each team, and they’ve just concluded Georgia week. Below are links to their Bulldog previews:
During the first eight years of Mark Richt’s time at Georgia, the Dawgs’ road record became almost a thing of legend. Over those eight seasons, the Dawgs were an amazing 30-4 in an opponent’s stadium.
It’s kind of shocking then to see a Missouri preview bring up Georgia’s recent road record as a possible Missouri advantage when the Dawgs visit Columbia. But there it is: “Georgia is just 10-12 away from Athens the last three years.”
There are separate issues here. Record aside, it’s ridiculous to think that Georgia will be out of sorts in an SEC road game. That’s just another Saturday. Tyler handles that point very well here.
On the other hand, it takes more than composure for a successful road trip. There’s definitely a mindset to going on the road. Following the landmark 2001 win at Tennessee, there was an audio clip that made the rounds of a player explaining Mark Richt’s approach to the game: go in “like a bunch of commandos,” get the job done, and get out. This mindset served them well in some big road games at Tennessee, Clemson, Auburn, and of course in Atlanta.
It’s not all mindset, sure. Georgia’s recent run of problems in big road games went along with some very ordinary teams. But whatever advantage Georgia used to have on the road has often been absent since the 2008 season that saw memorable wins at Arizona State and LSU. Think about some of the disastrous road trips since: Oklahoma State 2009. Tennessee 2009. Colorado 2010. Those are just the lowlights; there were plenty of other road losses. None of those environments was especially intimidating, but the Dawgs still laid an egg.
If we can dig up an unpleasant memory, go back to the 2008 Alabama game. (It’s not an exact comparison; Georgia was favored.) Athens was more than a little pumped for its blackout game. Bama came in focused, silenced the crowd, and announced its place back on top of the SEC. It helps that Bama had a future Heisman winner and a sick defense, but they were still able to cut through any pre-game hype, dominate an opponent on the road, and keep doing it week after week.
No, we don’t need a video of Coach T. talking trash about Missouri. But Georgia’s biggest obstacles in 2012 come away from home, and they’ll need that same kind of determination to take out these hostile crowds and put away these teams in the way of Georgia’s goals. The Dawgs took a nice step last year with a perfect 4-0 record in true road games. The road competition is much tougher in 2012, and Georgia’s success in repeating as SEC East champs will most likely hang on their ability to recapture some of that road mojo.
The kickoff times and television plans for Georgia’s first three games of the 2012 season were announced this morning:
Buffalo (Sept. 1): 12:21 p.m. ET – SEC Network
@ Missouri (Sept. 8): 7:45 p.m. ET – ESPN2
Florida Atlantic (Sept. 15): 7:30 p.m. ET – CSS
Times for the rest of the SEC’s games in weeks 1-3 can be found here. It’s a reflection of the current balance of power in the SEC that CBS will open its SEC coverage with Alabama-Arkansas rather than the usual Florida-Tennessee.
Overall, the times are about as good as we could expect. The Missouri game certainly deserves its prime time slot, though the placement on ESPN2 means a third-tier broadcast team for one of the five biggest SEC East games of the season. We’ve anticipated a lively reception for Missouri’s first SEC game, and the early evening start will only fan those flames.
The opener against Buffalo will be played in the full glory of the early September sun (no lake-effect cooling for our guests for sure), but it’s not as bad as it could be. A 12:21 kickoff is certainly preferable to one later in the afternoon. We should be used to these games by now. At any rate, it’s not the 3:30 start time for Florida’s visit to Texas A&M – a game which will be played on the surface of the sun.
The most interesting of the three is the FAU kickoff. The appearance of a night game on a home schedule that frankly didn’t offer many opportunities for a later start got a pretty positive reception this morning. For the hard core tailgaters, a night game against any opponent is great news, and it’s a September afternoon that we won’t have to spend in the sun.
It’s been a while since Georgia has had a late start against a non-BCS opponent. The Dawgs kicked off against Georgia Southern on a rainy night at 6:00 in 2000, and you have to go even further back for a true night game. There’s not going to be much buzz for this game, and I wonder about the impact of the start time on attendence. It’s not (yet) a sellout to begin with. The tailgates should be good and strong, but will the quality of the opponent tempt many fans – and especially students – to just continue the tailgate? The late start and likely result could also mean a desolate stadium after halftime as families get a head start home from a game that’s likely to end around 11.
Is is dramatic to suggest that this is Georgia’s most important recruiting weekend prior to Signing Day 2013?
Dawg Night is a one-night elite camp at Georgia for top prospects that often produces a lot of recruiting news. Prospects are evaluated, offered, and – if you’re lucky – commit at the program’s showcase event. The 2011 Dawg Night landed Georgia key commitments for not only the 2012 class but also the upcoming 2013 class. Theus, Ramsey, Terry, and Henry all committed last summer at this event.
Though there will be plenty of 2014 prospects in attendance, the focus on Friday’s 2012 Dawg Night is still on the 2013 class. Georgia’s impressive early push was enough to build a very solid foundation for 2013. This has to be a large class, and there are already 19 commitments – well over halfway home on a class that might even number in the 30s. Georgia’s in a position where they can begin to focus on their remaining top targets, and that’s what this Dawg Night is all about. There hasn’t been a commitment in nearly a month, but fans are hoping that Dawg Night can revive Georgia’s recruiting momentum.
We don’t know if this Dawg Night will produce commitments on the scale that it did in 2011. It certainly could. Job #1 at Dawg Night is keeping the current group of commitments on board. Nearly all of them will be in Athens. Some will be among Georgia’s best recruiting assets. Others will need a reminder why they committed to Georgia. Beyond securing the current commitments, there will be dozens of uncommitted 2013 prospects including several top targets. Georgia will be looking to add to its class with commitments from a couple of these targets. The class won’t be wrapped up this weekend by any means, but this is one of the few remaining opportunities for a big summer splash before teams get heavy into 2012 preparation in just a couple of weeks.
On a related front, there’s the fallout from the Reuben Foster decision. Georgia had been a major player for Foster even while Foster was committed to Alabama. No one would have been surprised had Foster announced for the Dawgs yesterday. Now that Foster is committed to Auburn, fans are nervously watching to see if other prospects will follow. The cryptic quotes from the prospects about pacts and assurances that a select group of top prospects would all attend the same school have Georgia fans in particular paying close attention to some of their top commitments. It would be one thing for Foster to flip between Alabama schools; he was never committed to Georgia in the first place. It’s another thing if Foster’s flip affects those already on Georgia’s board.
It doesn’t calm nerves to hear one of Georgia’s top defensive commitments, safety Tray Matthews, tell UGASports.com that “I think the plan is to go to Auburn this weekend.” Matthews will still attend Dawg Night, and he’ll be certain to receive a lot of attention from Georgia coaches hoping to shore up his commitment. Convincing all current commitments to remain on board would be as big of a story as any new commitments that might come out of this weekend.
If you entered the new lottery system for 2012 football deck parking, you should have received an e-mail in the past week with the results. You can now go to http://football.parking.uga.edu/ and order your pass after you log in with the account you created during the lottery process. Do so before 5:00 p.m. on July 19, or your reservation will expire.
If you are still interested in deck parking but did not enter the lottery, check back on the parking website starting July 23rd. Even under the old system, there were always passes left over in the larger decks – North Campus and Carlton St. But even those passes didn’t last more than a few days, so keep checking.
Apparently the Minnesota Vikings’ special teams coordinator has found the problem at the root of Blair Walsh’s senior slump last year. In a few words, Walsh was rushing the kicks.
He was rushing every kick,” Priefer said. “Every kick he missed, he hit them well, but he was much too fast with his get off time. I don’t know if that was what he was coached to do, maybe that’s what he wanted to do.
If that’s the case, bully for the Vikes. Walsh is a good kicker with a big leg, and he’ll be a capable pro if that diagnosis is correct and the problem addressed.
Of course the “if” is the key. The thing is that I remember reading last fall that another kicking expert had spotted and fixed the flaw in Walsh’s mechanics. “I was coming too much in at the ball rather than up-field with it,” Walsh admitted. “I just fixed it.” Walsh’s inconsistencies remained after that mid-season meeting with his “swing doctor.”
This Minnesota story got a lot of attention over the weekend most likely for Priefer’s comment, “I don’t know if that was what he was coached to do.” Special teams have been, put generously, a mixed bag for Georgia recently. A popular suggestion raised long before Walsh’s senior season has been to appoint a dedicated special teams coordinator, and the implied “what the heck are they coaching kickers to do in Athens?” from a pro coach has re-opened the question for many people.
Minnesota’s Priefer might be right, and hopefully it’s just a question of timing. Then again, it’s probably not something so obvious. Successful kicking instructor Nick Gancitano saw something else. The only placekicker in the College Football Hall of Fame had a vested interest in the success of the kicking game, and surely he would have pointed it out to Walsh if it were merely something so basic as rushing the kick. Walsh had three pretty good years using the mechanics with which he arrived in Athens, so it’s likely that the Georgia staff didn’t suggest very many changes.
Whatever was up with Walsh, I hope he’s able to sort them out either through coaching or through his own discovery. Those who have coached and observed him mean well and probably have valid pointers, but Walsh will have to be careful not to fall into something like the classic “analysis paralysis” that plagues so many advanced golfers who end up overthinking each element of their swing.
Last year the Georgia baseball team needed a deep run in the SEC Tournament just to increase its overall record to .500 in order to qualify for the NCAA Tournament. They responded with a series of improbable wins and were rewarded with the program’s third NCAA Tournament bid in four seasons.
Georgia seemed in much better shape heading into the home stretch of this season. They had split with defending national champ South Carolina, and they had swept Auburn. They headed into the final series against a weak Alabama team needing to win two of three games to clinch a winning conference mark. Instead of closing strong as they did a year ago, Georgia awaits the NCAA bracket with four consecutive losses and a two-and-BBQ exit from the SEC Tournament.
The Diamond Dawgs took the first game in Tuscaloosa but haven’t won since. During the four-game slide, Georgia has managed a total of just seven runs. The final game against Auburn ended in a way that summed up Georgia’s year-long struggles plating runners. Needing just one run to tie, the Dawgs could not bring home a runner from third with one out. Georgia’s batting average is third-best in SEC games, but only Tennessee scored fewer runs. In individual games, the inability to drive in runs could be seen as bad luck. Sustained problems in this area over the course of a season, coupled with a lack of power hitting in general, was not a good sign for a team that entered the season with much higher expectations.
The Diamond Dawgs began the year ranked in the top 20 and rose to as high as #8 on the back of a 10-1 record. A sweep by UCLA hinted that Georgia wasn’t quite ready for prime time, and losing three of their first four SEC series raised further questions. Georgia’s strength at pitching never became dominant, and an injury to closer Tyler Maloof diminished the bullpen. The team was able to point to close losses against good conference peers at Florida and LSU, but the inability to break through in those opportunities helped to turn Georgia from a conference contender to a team sweating its NCAA Tournament selection.
It’s debatable whether Georgia fans have ever been truly united behind David Perno – except for a few weeks in 2008 of course. The native Athenian and former Bulldog player was a controversial choice to follow the legendary Ron Polk if only because of Perno’s relative inexperience. Perno’s first two seasons didn’t do much to ease concerns. The Bulldogs didn’t post a winning conference record in 2002 or 2003, and there was already grumbling about the need for a change.
If Perno was ever in danger at that early stage, the 2004 season all but extinguished that talk. Georgia finished atop the SEC East and rolled into its first College World Series since 2001. But if fans put one foot on the bandwagon after 2004, the 2005 season kept them from taking that second step. Georgia followed up the trip to Omaha with a sub-.500 SEC mark. Thus began one of the more black-and-white sequences of success and failure you’ll find in sports. The Diamond Dawgs reached the College World Series in 2004, 2006, and 2008. They followed up each of those seasons with SEC records at or below .500. You’d think a program that made three trips to Omaha in five seasons would have established itself as a conference – if not national – power, but those valleys in between the peaks have made fan opinion regarding Perno as disparate as the records.
It hasn’t been smooth sailing since the near-miss in 2008. The remnants of that 2008 team gave Perno his first consecutive NCAA Tournament bid in 2009, but that squad was only .500 in the SEC and fizzled out in the regionals. The program went off a cliff in 2010 and posted an abysmal 16-37 (5-23 SEC) record. Georgia bounced back somewhat in 2011, but it took some magic in the SEC Tournament to even get to an overall .500 record. A promising 2012 season hasn’t gone much better. The valleys of the past decade were at least followed by memorable teams and deep postseason runs. It’s now been a while since 2008, and Georgia hasn’t been much more viable than a bubble team since.
To be sure, there have been some tough moments for the baseball program recently. The catastrophic injuries to Veazey and Taylor left deep marks not only on the emotional state of the team but also on the lineup. Maloof’s season-ending injury took away another key asset this year. These events, not to disregard their human toll, had real implications on Georgia’s competitiveness. At what point, though, do those tragic events become crutches for unrelated performance problems?
This stagnation led to more and more questions regarding Perno’s future, and it’s come to the point that athletic director Greg McGarity has had to address those questions. McGarity confirmed in no uncertain terms that Perno would return for 2013. “It’s not even an issue,” McGarity declared at a meeting of the athletic board.
This isn’t meant to be a defense or an indictment of Perno. It is, though, an attempt to understand the expectations that the athletic department has of the Georgia baseball program. McGarity will be held to his own rubric for evaluating coaches which includes this expectation: “Develop a program that is competitive in the SEC and nationally, understanding that the definition of ‘competitive’ is different from sport to sport.”
That’s what’s puzzling about McGarity’s statements about the state of the program. Over the long term, and that matters, Perno has taken Georgia to half of its College World Series. His teams have been competitive, but whether they are now and will be is up for discussion. What’s troubling is that McGarity seems to be defining “competitive” down when it comes to baseball. Pointing out that most everyone, save for a few top teams, is roughly .500 is fine – unless your goal is to be one of those top teams. Imagine a discussion of Georgia football’s competitiveness that began by excluding Florida or Alabama. Yes, the Diamond Dawgs are competitive relative to the middle of the pack in the SEC, if that’s how the definition of ‘competitive’ works for baseball.
The timing is also important because there’s more at stake than the immediate well-being of the baseball program. In addition to some minor work slated for Foley Field in the short-term, McGarity spoke today of his plans for about $10 million of more significant improvements to the long-neglected facility. McGarity plans to raise the first $5 million before coming to the board for the rest. It stands to reason that the head coach would be central in any fundraising activity. Even with Perno’s position secure for another year, this major facilities project begins with a polarizing coach at the helm whose future will be a topic as soon as the tarp comes off the field next season.
Georgia’s athletic board met today, and as usual personnel and facilites issues dominated the agenda.
The glacial pace of contract extensions for Mark Richt and Todd Grantham continues. Athletic director Greg McGarity outlined the details of Richt’s new contract, but the contract remains incomplete and was not voted on by the board. Richt’s base salary would remain more or less steady, but his performance bonuses would be doubled. The contract will also allow Richt additional opportunities for money from “off-field sources,” including commercials. Meanwhile, Grantham’s deal is agreed to in principle but still remains “in the lawyers’ hands” and incomplete.
The board also approved several minor facilities upgrades. Scoreboards at the baseball, softball, and soccer fields will be improved. Gate 10 at Sanford Stadium (the field-level “Dawg Walk” entrance) will also receive attention. Foley Field will get $1.35 million in minor work that will touch everything from the press box, entrance, Kudzu Hill, and the trees behind left field.
The topic of student tickets came up. We’ve encouraged McGarity and the board to look at the issue, and I’m glad it was discussed. As President Adams noted, “the students have not held up their end of the bargain” in efforts to increase student turnout. This will likely remain a problem as the 2012 schedule lends itself to unattractive opponents and early kickoffs. Still, if the problem with student attendence is less about interest and more about allocation, it’s right for the board to consider action. It seemed odd though that one of the proposals would give freshmen priority in obtaining tickets. Adams was concerned about rewarding 5th-year seniors through a seniority system, but should freshmen receive priority in anything?
Andy Landers has filled the two vacancies on his staff with a pair of nice additions. Angie Johnson has been an assistant at the D1 level for 18 years with the last 15 spent at FSU. Assistants with that kind of seasoned experience aren’t common and don’t become available often, and it’s something that’s been missing from the Georgia program for the past several years. She also served as Florida State’s recruiting coordinator and will join another solid recruiter, Joni Crenshaw, who remains on the Georgia staff.
Johnson is joined by former University of Alabama assistant Robert Mosley. Mosley has only been a college assistant for two seasons, but he built one of Alabama’s most successful high school programs with four state titles in seven seasons.
The Lady Dogs’ staff took a hit during the offseason with the departure of Cameron Newbauer (Louisville) and Travis Mays (Texas). The hires announced this week do a lot to fill those voids and bring new strengths and experience to the Georgia bench. They should be well-received by Georgia fans, and they’re right in line with what Georgia needs to capitalize on a strong and veteran roster in the upcoming season.
During the summer break, Georgia’s football team, like most students, scatters. Many remain in Athens to condition and attend summer classes. Others head home or to camps for some specialized training. Rising seniors Christian Robinson, Ty Frix, and Arthur Lynch are spending the semester in the University’s study abroad program in Cortona, Italy.
Robinson has started a blog to chronicle the experience. It should be an entertaining journal – give it a follow.
There seem to be two diverging vectors. You have the additional money pouring into a sport that’s as popular as ever, and that money gets turned into bigger and better facilities. On the other hand, attendence nationwide is stagnant at best. Games are ubiquitous on television, and that generates much of the massive windfalls associated with the sport, but that same widepsread coverage provides a pretty powerful incentive to stay at home – especially when it’s not a hyped game. Add crystal-clear HDTV, climate control, restrooms, a grill, a stocked fridge, and a few friends, and watching the game in Media Room Stadium can be very appealing. Attendence, especially at a major program, can’t be described as anything but a hassle. Climbing ticket prices, donation requirements, parking fees, and traffic all combine to make it an expensive and trying hobby. Even the experience of tailgating comes with a price tag at some schools (and soon ours?)
So why do we go? There’s still nothing like being there. You’re willing to put up with a lot for that moment when the team runs on the field or to be a part of the explosion of noise when Rambo turned Sanford upside down against Auburn last year. You’re less likely to put up with it for an early kickoff against Buffalo.
I don’t really think kickoff time matters. A weak schedule isn’t going to generate much more excitement at 1:00 than it is 7:00. Fans who struggle to arrive at such games on time will be the first ones to get on the road for a night game when the Dawgs have a 30-point halftime lead. And, as much as we put this on Adams and anti-tailgate people, I don’t really blame the school. Georgia’s campus has seen a construction boom (with more to come), and that means fewer places to park people for one of the nation’s largest stadiums. There aren’t many good solutions, and some of the better ones might involve a fee.
Maybe Ole Miss and other SEC schools putting money into bigger stadiums haven’t hit this critical mass yet. Alabama’s unprecedented demand seems like it could go on forever, but all it takes is the wrong coach to turn the expanded Bryant-Denny into what’s happening at Neyland.
University of Georgia president Michael Adams will step down effective June 30, 2013. Dr. Adams will have been at Georgia’s helm for 16 years when he leaves office and takes on a new role with the University.
Adams, for better or worse, has been very involved in Georgia’s athletics during his 16 years. That involvement has included everything from policy and personnel decisions to putting his tail in a seat and being as much of a fan as any of us. As enrollment and stadium capactity has grown, Adams has also had to be active in areas where the interests of the University collide with the fan experience. Adams has been especially visible in combating Georgia’s party school reputation both on campus and on game day. Those clashes have made Adams a very polarizing figure, and that’s even before we look at the purely academic side of things (which we won’t).
I know there are those doing cartwheels over the announcement this morning, but this is very much a wait-and-see moment. The process to select a replacement will be, as always, as much a political one as anything. The focus will be on the governor and the Board of Regents, and if you trust those parties to approach this decision without considering their own interests, you also likely think that a college football playoff is all about the fans. A polarizing president is one thing, but behind-the-scenes power plays by relatively anonymous and unaccountable regents isn’t a better condition.
I’m not sure a lot of people know what they want the next president to be – other than “not Adams.” At this level of academic leadership, there’s a rather narrow spectrum of possibilities. Certain personalities stand out – think Gee or Machen – but it’s rarely for the better. “Ego” comes with the job. Shrinking violets don’t rise through the ranks to become department chairs and deans and seek out the leadership of a major research university. The next president will have to be a political animal. With budgets constantly under scrutiny and many constituencies inside and outside of campus, he or she has to be ambitious, savvy, and – at times – ruthless.
Maybe folks just want someone who will leave the football program alone, but we know how unrealistic that is considering how many points of contact there are between the highly-visible program and the University. The president will speak for Georgia’s interests in the SEC and the NCAA. The policies he or she supports and implements will affect the student-athlete experience and the future of coaches like Mark Richt. Adams was outspoken and controversial at times, but his departure leaves a very large vacuum. It’s not a given that this vacuum will be filled by some ideal benevolent football-friendly president who instructs the campus police to chauffeur football players home from downtown and who lets you park an RV on the North Campus quad on Wednesday afternoon.
Georgia’s other two-way player: getting the ball to Branden Smith
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University of Georgia president Michael Adams 
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