The Formula: Let the best player play!

It seems silly, common sense really: Let the best player play. But sometimes it is difficult to determine who the better player is. Is the best player the one with the most talent? Is the best player the one with the most potential? Is the best player the one that knows the system the best? Is the best player the one that has earned the respect of the coaches? Is the best player the one with the best attitude? Is it a combination of all of those statements?

While some may say it is a combination, I say it is more of a formula. You have to use those questions as variables because some won’t apply to certain players. This year the Georgia Bulldogs have two main positions with incoming players versus players that didn’t have an impact one year ago, and the coaches are trying to figure out right now how to weigh the variables in the formula to determine a depth chart. The two position battles I wish to address are the starting tailback spot and the starting nose tackle job. As the Richard “The Animal” Samuel vs. Isaiah Crowell debate and the Kwame Geathers vs. John Jenkins dilemma rage on, I thought I’d give my formula as to how to figure out who should start.

Samuel was recently placed atop the depth chart despite missing most of the summer work due to various injuries while Crowell was more-or-less handed the starting gig on National Signing Day. Crowell doesn’t have the experience in the system but he is clearly talented and he is a blank slate. Many Georgia fans remember Samuel’s routine of gaining two yards and falling down two years ago. His run against Arkansas was fantastic, but he failed to impress or hold on to the job to the point that he was MOVED TO LINEBACKER last year. While Samuel has been in the system for four spring practices now and has worked hard to impress the coaches with his team-first attitude, in this case you have to weigh Crowell’s potential and his talent (he was far more impressive as a running back in high school compared to Samuel) is unmatched on the current Georgia roster. I would peg Crowell as the starter because while there might be some growing pains of starting a true freshman over an experienced back, the potential and talent would more than make up for any mistakes he’d make.(FORMULA: Potential + talent > experience + attitude + respect = Crowell over Samuel.)

Kwame Geathers was so unimpressive one year ago that DeAngelo Tyson was forced to play the nose tackle position in new defensive coordinator Todd Grantham’s 3-4 defense, despite the fact that he was WAY undersized for the job. Geathers appeared in just eight games and made a whopping seven tackles. You’d have expected that the 6’6 frame and 350 lbs would have meant he was perfect for the NT position, but for whatever reason he failed to seize the position and never made an impact. The coaches decided to go after the top JUCO defensive tackle available one year ago and nabbed John Jenkins a few days after National Signing Day. All anyone has talked about since February has been how Jenkins will be Georgia’s Terrence “Mount” Cody, and I even called Jenkins the most important piece of Georgia signing class, moreso than Crowell. Perhaps Geathers reads chuckoliver.net (who doesn’t?) and was motivated by this because he went out and earned the Bulldogs’ defensive MVP award following spring practice and has been named to several preseason All-SEC teams. Jenkins meanwhile has struggled early on since arriving in Athens, showing flashes but also sustaining injuries and missing practice time while acclimating to the heat. Geathers is listed as the starter but Mark Richt also alluded to the fact that Jenkins didn’t sign with the Dawgs to ride the bench. How does the formula decide a winner in this case? Does talent and potential outweigh experience on the defensive side of the ball like it did on the offensive side of the ball? No, not in this case. While Jenkins is considered more talented by fans who have likely built him into Paul Bunyan, I’d go with Geathers who has been performing so far this spring and summer. This year is so important for the defense and I’d ride the hot hand, which is Geathers right now. Crowell can learn while Aaron Murray leads the offense. The defense needs a leader and Geathers is proving to be that leader that right now. (FORMULA: potential + talent – respect < respect + experience + attitude = Geathers over Jenkins. Jenkins should play but Geathers should be the first big man out there.)

Clearly all four players will play but as my formula shows the offense would be better with a youngster while the defense needs a person familiar with Grantham’s 3-4. Let the best players play.