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The Georgia Bulldogs sent the home crowd away happy yesterday with a 43-0 victory on homecoming, and with several other SEC East teams losing, into multiple conversations about just how Georgia can still hold on to the pipe dream that is the SEC Championship game. However if you look closely at the game yesterday and not just the score, you'd still feel a little iffy about the Georgia Bulldogs. From my seat I could see missed opportunities early in the game that, while it turned out it didn't matter, COULD matter next week against Kentucky or two weeks against the Florida Gators.
On the opening defensive drive, the defense is forced to call a time out as a player isn't sure whether or not he is supposed to be on the field on a 2nd and short. We are talking two plays into the game here. Georgia burns a time out only to see Vanderbilt complete a pass for about 14 yards. After forcing a punt once Vandy picked up another first down or two, the Dawgs burn two more time outs on the opening offensive drive. Come on coaches!
Aaron Murray did hook up with Kris Durham for a long pass to flip the field position, but on the next play he has Durham open on a wheel play that could have gone for six, but the ball was underthrown. The Dawgs settled for a field goal after Orson Charles dropped what would have been a third down conversion for first and goal inside the five.
AJ Green dropped two passes that I counted, including one that could have gone for a score, though he redeemed himself by hauling in a quick slant and then jetting it in for a long score. Aaron Murray had 287 yards passing and two scores while Washaun Ealey busted the century mark for 123 yards and a score and Carlton Thomas found paydirt twice. Still though despite the QB's success and the mild success of the running game, you get the feeling the the OLine still isn't mashing like everyone thought before the season it would.
On defense, clearly no points were allowed and Justin Houston was constantly in the backfield, but the opening drive was a bit scary and there were still TOO MANY breakdowns in coverage that a speedy team like Florida will take to the house while a not-so-fast squad like Vanderbilt was simply able to gain twenty yards on.
As a Georgia alum that left the stadium following the 43-0 win, I was happy that Georgia won its second straight and Aaron Murray continued his climb to the top of the SEC QB Chart (my thought is that he'll be the top returning QB next season. Notice I said QB and not Wildcat option). I was just a little worried about the offensive line really creating holes for the running game and the defense blowing coverages still in the team's seventh game of the year.
Next week's trip to Kentucky will be NO cakewalk, especially after Kentucky's comeback win last night over South Carolina. The Dawgs had better bring the A game and not look past the Wildcats because the Gators are licking wounds and will be ready in two weeks.
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