Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Before we get TOO excited over a 24-point win...

Let's remember this was the FRIGGIN' INDEPENDENCE BOWL. Yes, the University of Georgia won 44-20 last night (and could have won by 25, if the backup kicker had made the XP...) but come on. It was an overmatched Texas A&M in the INDEPENDENCE BOWL. Let's not get TOO TOO excited over this BIG WIN.

I mean, after all, it gave us 8 wins on the season. NOT something to write home about.

And PS, what was up with people dumping Gatorade on the coaches? Were they really going to dump gatorade on CMR's head after a win in the Advocare V100 Independence Bowl? Jeff Owens needs to get out more. (PS#2, the advocare commercials with Drew Brees....poor drew brees. And I feel like Advocare is the energy drink for C-list celebs. Let me go get some at my local Kroger! Wait, they don't have it. Crap.)

I will say that Beamerball is dead and should now be called Richtball. The special teams played VERY WELL. And I'm not just talking about the 81-KR-TD and the blocked punt. The defense tackled the punt on the high snap. The Kick coverage never gave up a big run or didn't add any yardage on with a facemask.

The penalties were fewer (a false start once and maybe one hold?) and the defense bent but never really broke in the second half. A TD to open up the half was made up for with two INTs in the redzone and Branden Smith should have had a Pick-6, but he dropped the pass.

Overall I was happy with the game and Joe Cox was able to go out with a nice game.

As far as looking ahead to next season, I am thinking that I want the season to start tomorrow. The offense will return 10 starters, with the 11th being NOT JOE COX, so I like that. Caleb King and Washaun Ealey (not early!), though it took a while to get started, are returning and AJ Green will have an entire 6 months to get healthy. Add in Aron White, Artie Lynch and OH YEAH, Orson Charles and the TE position looks strong. The Fullbacks will be back (I like that) and the OLine will get some new faces in Long and Burnette. (And Vince Vance is leaving. SWEET!)
And I love the story that Aaron Murray is the hardest working QB that Richt has ever been around. Let him take ALL of the reps (sorry Logan Gray. Welcome to Wideout!) and get him ready for a MUCH easier schedule than the last two seasons. 9 with a 10th in a bowl isn't out of the question for the redshirt QB next year.

Over on defense, we'll lose the middle of our line but C-Note and Justin Houston are returning on the ends. Hopefully Toby Jackson can finally qualify and DeAngelo Tyson can get some help from the kids on the inside (Abry Jones, Lott, Montez Robinson-if he's let back on the team, Demarcus Dobbs, Brandon Wood, Crawford). The LBs (Gamble and Dent and Curran) are all juniors (and Marcus Dowtin is a rising Junior) and Rennie Curran should get it through his head that undersized LBs....maybe not that high of a demand in the pros. Just saying. I was a bit puzzled by Curran's failure to show up for a morning punishment run and thus his missing the 1st quarter last night. I said to Wifey last night that that could mean that he's already thrown in the towel on his college career. I hope not. If he DOES go though, Chase Vasser, Gillard (stoopid face mask penalty v Florida) and Christian Robinson could probably step in though. Just saying. He'll be missed but he can be replaced by sheer numbers. In the defensive secondary, Vance Cuff, BSmith and Boykin should slide right in at CB with multiple options at backup-nickleback (Jordan Love, a redshirt frosh; Sanders Commings, will be a sophomore). And at safety, Bacarri Rambo has more or less earned a starting spot and Nick Williams (if he is switched from LB to safety) or Shawne Williams or Makiri Pugh could see the action at free safety. Whomever CMR hires as the new D-Coor will have PLENTY of talent with which to work. Very exciting...

We're set a kicker and punter and PR and KR.

Throw in a top-five recruiting class..........

Maybe it is just because I am a kool-aid drinker, but I cannot WAIT for the 2010 season. Bring on the Georgia Boy-draft. This guy is PUMPED!

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