Georgia head coach Mark Richt is about to get a contract extension based on a ten game winning streak as well as an SEC East championship in 2011. While a majority of the fan base is perfectly happy with this, there is a small portion of the Bulldog Nation that wanted to blow Richt out and start over in 2012. That camp may just get its wish next year after Georgia’s 2012 schedule was finalized Wednesday.
The SEC is of course expanding, and with a new SEC East member, Georgia was forced to drop one member of the SEC West off the schedule to make room. That schedule deletion ended up being a road trip to Alabama to face Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide. Great news, right? Sure. The schedule suddenly got a heck of a lot easier with a trip to Missouri in week two and the trip to South Carolina pushed back to October 6, instead of the Gamecocks in week two and the Tide the first Saturday of October.
The schedule looks tailor-made for a trip back to the Georgia Dome for the SEC championship game. The four non-conference games include Buffalo, Florida Atlantic, Georgia Southern and in-state rival Georgia Tech, all at home. The Dawgs will get Tennessee at home and hit the road to visit Kentucky after an off-week. This schedule looks easily like a 11-1 or even a 12-0 possibility, but don’t worry anti-Richt fans as that is good news.
If you like Georgia, you’ll love a 11-1 or 12-0 season. If you hate Richt and he loses two games in the regular season, you’d have to think he’s gone. This schedule was the best thing to happen to all of the anti-Richt people out there. The pressure will be turned up to high to win with one of the easiest schedules in the SEC. If not, bye-bye. And if he DOES win and makes it back to the SEC title game, perhaps those fools can be quiet. Please?
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Mark Richt's 2011 Christmas list
Last year I was lucky enough to overhear UGA head coach Mark Richt asking Santa for a space eater for the middle of the the 3-4, a game-changing running back, a standout linebacker to take over for Justin Houston and a deep threat to replace AJ Green. Richt must have been a REALLY good boy last year as Santa brought him all four.
What did Richt ask for this year and will Santa be as kind to the Head Dawg? Word is Richt’s Christmas list isn’t as long but does have a few important items.
A screwdriver. Apparently Richt wants to tighten Isaiah Crowell’s head on straight so the SEC freshman of the year can follow up on his fast start and not so much on his eye brow-raising finish to the 2011 season. The Dawgs appear to have mega-recruit Keith Marshall coming to Athens for spring practice, but I am sure Richt and company would like to have a Crowell-Marshall (Maybe Mike Davis too?) attack instead of relying once again on a freshman to lead the ground game.
A broken fax machine. Several important underclassmen have requested NFL evaluations on where they may be drafted, and should Georgia lose just half, a potential SEC East championship could slip away. Cornelius Washington, Orson Charles, Bacarri Rambo, Sanders Commings and Aaron Murray all submitted paperwork to the NFL’s college advisory committee, asking for feedback on draft status. Murray and Commings both have hinted that they are just curious, but Charles, Rambo and Washington could/would likely jump if they hear second round or higher. If Georgia’s fax machine breaks and those guys cannot see a second round projection by the deadline, the Dawgs will look strong in 2012. (Though he should probably get it fixed by early February.)
An anti-scooter law passed in Athens. Countless Georgia players have gotten in trouble for issues involving scooters over the last few summers. If suddenly it is illegal to drive scooters, hopefully those arrests go away. Plus, it just looks silly to see a 340-pound lineman on a Vespa. Just saying.
Non-slip floors. The Dawgs cannot afford any torn ACLs by the offensive line this offseason. You cannot help it if an ACL tears on the practice field, but it would be awful for an off-the-field accident to take out a player that could contribute to what appears to be a young line returning in 2012.
What did Richt ask for this year and will Santa be as kind to the Head Dawg? Word is Richt’s Christmas list isn’t as long but does have a few important items.
A screwdriver. Apparently Richt wants to tighten Isaiah Crowell’s head on straight so the SEC freshman of the year can follow up on his fast start and not so much on his eye brow-raising finish to the 2011 season. The Dawgs appear to have mega-recruit Keith Marshall coming to Athens for spring practice, but I am sure Richt and company would like to have a Crowell-Marshall (Maybe Mike Davis too?) attack instead of relying once again on a freshman to lead the ground game.
A broken fax machine. Several important underclassmen have requested NFL evaluations on where they may be drafted, and should Georgia lose just half, a potential SEC East championship could slip away. Cornelius Washington, Orson Charles, Bacarri Rambo, Sanders Commings and Aaron Murray all submitted paperwork to the NFL’s college advisory committee, asking for feedback on draft status. Murray and Commings both have hinted that they are just curious, but Charles, Rambo and Washington could/would likely jump if they hear second round or higher. If Georgia’s fax machine breaks and those guys cannot see a second round projection by the deadline, the Dawgs will look strong in 2012. (Though he should probably get it fixed by early February.)
An anti-scooter law passed in Athens. Countless Georgia players have gotten in trouble for issues involving scooters over the last few summers. If suddenly it is illegal to drive scooters, hopefully those arrests go away. Plus, it just looks silly to see a 340-pound lineman on a Vespa. Just saying.
Non-slip floors. The Dawgs cannot afford any torn ACLs by the offensive line this offseason. You cannot help it if an ACL tears on the practice field, but it would be awful for an off-the-field accident to take out a player that could contribute to what appears to be a young line returning in 2012.
Friday, December 16, 2011
Miller Grove falls to Oak Hill
Miller Grove, the No. 1 team in the Score Atlanta Class AAAA poll and No. 2 in the national ESPN poll, faced No. 3 Oak Hill at Morehouse last night, and Tony Parker was a beast for the Wolverines. Miller Grove trailed entering the fourth quarter with missed free throws hurting the Wolverines cause. UGA-pledge Brandon Morris was dumping the ball low to Parker throughout the fourth as Oak Hill didn’t have an answer. Meanwhile Jordan Adams, a Georgia native and former Central Gwinnett star, had 13 points including one of two late from the free throw line as Oak Hill knocked off Miller Grove 82-78. Miller Grove had closed the gap to 77-75, but the Wolverines could get no closer as Oak Hill closed out the game from the free throw line. Tony Parker had 29 points and 10 rebounds in the loss. ...
West Hall High School has announced that Tony Lotti has been tapped as the new football coach. Lotti was an assistant at Woodland High School the last three years. Former coach Mike Newton was 12-38 in five years at West Hall. ...
The career of Travis Wildgoose is over at Athens Christian though Wildgoose does hope to continue his high school playing career at Rockdale County High School. Wildgoose, who transferred to Athens Christian over the summer from the Bahamas, rushed for more than 600 yards and four scores in three victories for the Athens Christian football team this season. The GHSA later ruled that he was ineligible after a paperwork error was made by International Experience, a foreign-exchange program that placed him at the Athens school. According to the Athens Banner-Herald he withdrew from Athens Christian earlier this week and is expected to enroll at Rockdale County and live with his uncle. He will also apply for a hardship exemption so that he could play immediately for Rockdale County’s basketball team and track team.
West Hall High School has announced that Tony Lotti has been tapped as the new football coach. Lotti was an assistant at Woodland High School the last three years. Former coach Mike Newton was 12-38 in five years at West Hall. ...
The career of Travis Wildgoose is over at Athens Christian though Wildgoose does hope to continue his high school playing career at Rockdale County High School. Wildgoose, who transferred to Athens Christian over the summer from the Bahamas, rushed for more than 600 yards and four scores in three victories for the Athens Christian football team this season. The GHSA later ruled that he was ineligible after a paperwork error was made by International Experience, a foreign-exchange program that placed him at the Athens school. According to the Athens Banner-Herald he withdrew from Athens Christian earlier this week and is expected to enroll at Rockdale County and live with his uncle. He will also apply for a hardship exemption so that he could play immediately for Rockdale County’s basketball team and track team.
33 Class A schools considering defecting from GHSA
GHSA reclassification has long been a controversial issue, and the new six-class format that has been agreed upon for the 2012-13 and 2013-14 school years have driven some schools to the brink. Earlier this week more than 80 representatives gathered in Rochelle, Ga., to discuss options for some of the smaller Class A public schools from south Georgia who feel they are being ignored by the GHSA and its reclassification committee. A total of 33 schools were represented and many of those plus others that were not present have let it be known that they are considering pulling out of the GHSA to perhaps join the Georgia Independent School Association (GISA) or create a Georgia’s third athletics association. As many as 45 schools could defect from the GHSA to form this new association.
GISA representatives were on hand at Tuesday’s impromptu meeting including executive director Jeff Jackson and assistant director Tommy Whittle. Should the public schools join the 134-member GISA, they would be placed in a “public school” division and separated into a different playoff bracket for the postseason. If the collection of public schools does not want to join GISA, some talk has been floated that the new association would use GISA in an advisory role or perhaps even as a managing role.
Wilcox County head football coach Mark Ledford, who’s team won a recent state title but lost to metro-Atlanta private school Wesleyan in another, led the discussion according to the Macon Telegraph. In a story on the paper’s website, Ledford said, “I think the turnout showed that it was more than just a few south Georgia schools upset about the classification issues.” Several Lincoln County representatives noted that most of the 33 schools were south Georgia Class A schools, but a few surprises were also at the meeting. Representatives from Tift County were also present and appeared ready to join the defections. Other schools according to various media outlets included Atkinson County, Baconton Charter, Calhoun County, Central-Talbotton, Charlton County, Chattahoochee County, Claxton, 2010 Class A football champion Clinch County, Dooly County, Echols, Glascock County, Gordon Lee, Hancock Central, Irwin County, Jenkins County, Johnson County, Lanier County, Miller County, Montgomery County, Randolph-Clay, Schley County, Seminole County, Social Circle, Stewart County, Taylor County, Terrell County, Twiggs County, Warren County, Washington-Wilkes, Wheeler County, Wilcox County and Wilkinson County.
The GHSA’s reclassified Class A still has 35 private schools competing with public schools, and the issue came to a head just a few weeks ago when four private schools reached the Class A semifinals in football. Many of the Class A public schools had been petitioning the GHSA to allow a split in postseason play, but the GHSA chose not to adopt such a scenario during its reclassification sessions.
Wilcox County Director of Athletics Donnie Clack told the Valdosta Daily Times that “We have been in eight to 10 meetings and (the GHSA) still hasn’t done anything about (a postseason split). The only option is to pull out of the GHSA.”
The next steps to the potential defection plan will be hatched over the next few weeks. An eight-member advisory committee was formed at last Tuesday’s meeting, and it is this group that will lead the effort. The committee plans to meet in Macon on Wednesday, according to S. Thomas Coleman of the AJC. At this meeting the committee members will draft bylaws and develop processes and procedures for a new association. All interested parties will be invited to meet January 4, 2012 to review the plans.
The GHSA will ratify the new classifications and regions on January 10, 2012 after schools are permitted a chance to petition for a lateral region change.
GISA representatives were on hand at Tuesday’s impromptu meeting including executive director Jeff Jackson and assistant director Tommy Whittle. Should the public schools join the 134-member GISA, they would be placed in a “public school” division and separated into a different playoff bracket for the postseason. If the collection of public schools does not want to join GISA, some talk has been floated that the new association would use GISA in an advisory role or perhaps even as a managing role.
Wilcox County head football coach Mark Ledford, who’s team won a recent state title but lost to metro-Atlanta private school Wesleyan in another, led the discussion according to the Macon Telegraph. In a story on the paper’s website, Ledford said, “I think the turnout showed that it was more than just a few south Georgia schools upset about the classification issues.” Several Lincoln County representatives noted that most of the 33 schools were south Georgia Class A schools, but a few surprises were also at the meeting. Representatives from Tift County were also present and appeared ready to join the defections. Other schools according to various media outlets included Atkinson County, Baconton Charter, Calhoun County, Central-Talbotton, Charlton County, Chattahoochee County, Claxton, 2010 Class A football champion Clinch County, Dooly County, Echols, Glascock County, Gordon Lee, Hancock Central, Irwin County, Jenkins County, Johnson County, Lanier County, Miller County, Montgomery County, Randolph-Clay, Schley County, Seminole County, Social Circle, Stewart County, Taylor County, Terrell County, Twiggs County, Warren County, Washington-Wilkes, Wheeler County, Wilcox County and Wilkinson County.
The GHSA’s reclassified Class A still has 35 private schools competing with public schools, and the issue came to a head just a few weeks ago when four private schools reached the Class A semifinals in football. Many of the Class A public schools had been petitioning the GHSA to allow a split in postseason play, but the GHSA chose not to adopt such a scenario during its reclassification sessions.
Wilcox County Director of Athletics Donnie Clack told the Valdosta Daily Times that “We have been in eight to 10 meetings and (the GHSA) still hasn’t done anything about (a postseason split). The only option is to pull out of the GHSA.”
The next steps to the potential defection plan will be hatched over the next few weeks. An eight-member advisory committee was formed at last Tuesday’s meeting, and it is this group that will lead the effort. The committee plans to meet in Macon on Wednesday, according to S. Thomas Coleman of the AJC. At this meeting the committee members will draft bylaws and develop processes and procedures for a new association. All interested parties will be invited to meet January 4, 2012 to review the plans.
The GHSA will ratify the new classifications and regions on January 10, 2012 after schools are permitted a chance to petition for a lateral region change.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Milton forfeits three games
The Milton Eagles had to give three victories back after it was ruled that guard Charles Mann was not 100% eligible for competition. Milton’s record falls to 4-4 from 7-1, though the team is 3-0 in region play and Mann is now eligible to play for the Eagles moving forward. Milton is ranked the No. 1 team in boys Class AAAAA in the Score Atlanta poll. Buford meanwhile picked up a forfeited win from when Milton, with Mann, defeated the Wolves 71-55 at Buford back in November. ...
According to various media outlets nearly 100 people representing 33 schools met in Rochelle, GA, yesterday to discuss whether or not some of the public schools in the new Class A classification would withdraw from the GHSA and form a new independent organization. The collection of schools, which could climb as high as 45 schools according to one source, would join the Georgia Independent School Association and compete in public schools playoff system. Another option would be to form a third athletics association with the GISA serving in an advisory or managing role. GISA representatives were on hand at the meeting including executive director Jeff Jackson and assistant director Tommy Whittle. Wilcox County head coach Mark Ledford told Macon.com, “I think the turnout showed that it was more than just a few south Georgia schools upset about the classification issues.” The group is planning more meetings over the next few weeks. ...
Etowah is searching for a new head coach after Bill Stewart left the Cherokee County school for a head coaching position in Alabama. Stewart was 47-20 at Etowah over six seasons. Stewart will begin teaching at the new James Clemens High School in Madison, Alabama, on January 2.
According to various media outlets nearly 100 people representing 33 schools met in Rochelle, GA, yesterday to discuss whether or not some of the public schools in the new Class A classification would withdraw from the GHSA and form a new independent organization. The collection of schools, which could climb as high as 45 schools according to one source, would join the Georgia Independent School Association and compete in public schools playoff system. Another option would be to form a third athletics association with the GISA serving in an advisory or managing role. GISA representatives were on hand at the meeting including executive director Jeff Jackson and assistant director Tommy Whittle. Wilcox County head coach Mark Ledford told Macon.com, “I think the turnout showed that it was more than just a few south Georgia schools upset about the classification issues.” The group is planning more meetings over the next few weeks. ...
Etowah is searching for a new head coach after Bill Stewart left the Cherokee County school for a head coaching position in Alabama. Stewart was 47-20 at Etowah over six seasons. Stewart will begin teaching at the new James Clemens High School in Madison, Alabama, on January 2.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
We Should be happy, right?
Before the season I asked if anything short of the Outback Bowl was acceptable, and now that 2011 has played out, the Dawgs are Outback Bowl bound. We should be happy, right?
Aaron Murray and Orson Charles get a homecoming of sorts, and Georgia is back in a January Bowl after two straight late December snore-fest bowls. I guess folks in the Bulldog Nation should be pleased considering the bleakness that was the 0-2 start.
Still though, something feels off. The Outback Bowl is kind of a been-there-done-that situation isn’t it? I was holding out hope that the CapitalOne Bowl would take Arkansas, and the Dawgs would head west to the Cotton Bowl. That would have been fun and a new adventure. The CapitalOne Bowl would have been fun too against Nebraska. The Outback Bowl is against Michigan State. Didn’t Georgia JUST play Sparty in a bowl? Seems like it.
Don’t get me wrong, Georgia got to a fine bowl game but maybe if Tavarres King keeps his feet and doesn’t slip... If he snags the pass that hit him in the hands on the first drive... If Malcolm Mitchell doesn’t turn before he catches the pass... A better showing in the SEC Championship game may have gotten Georgia a better bowl game, but it is too late now. Georgia needs to use the practice to tune up for Michigan State. If Georgia smokes the Spartans, perhaps this is a top ten team entering 2012. If Georgia acts enh like some its fans are acting about this game, the momentum of a 10-game winning streak will be wasted. Hopefully Georgia is more excited about this game than I am.
Aaron Murray and Orson Charles get a homecoming of sorts, and Georgia is back in a January Bowl after two straight late December snore-fest bowls. I guess folks in the Bulldog Nation should be pleased considering the bleakness that was the 0-2 start.
Still though, something feels off. The Outback Bowl is kind of a been-there-done-that situation isn’t it? I was holding out hope that the CapitalOne Bowl would take Arkansas, and the Dawgs would head west to the Cotton Bowl. That would have been fun and a new adventure. The CapitalOne Bowl would have been fun too against Nebraska. The Outback Bowl is against Michigan State. Didn’t Georgia JUST play Sparty in a bowl? Seems like it.
Don’t get me wrong, Georgia got to a fine bowl game but maybe if Tavarres King keeps his feet and doesn’t slip... If he snags the pass that hit him in the hands on the first drive... If Malcolm Mitchell doesn’t turn before he catches the pass... A better showing in the SEC Championship game may have gotten Georgia a better bowl game, but it is too late now. Georgia needs to use the practice to tune up for Michigan State. If Georgia smokes the Spartans, perhaps this is a top ten team entering 2012. If Georgia acts enh like some its fans are acting about this game, the momentum of a 10-game winning streak will be wasted. Hopefully Georgia is more excited about this game than I am.
Lassiter is loaded in 2012
The Lassiter Trojans made a run to the Class AAAAA semifinals on the strength of a tough defensive secondary and some talented playmakers on offense. One of those offensive playmakers Juwan Dickey recently picked up a big offer as Oklahoma State offered the 24 2Look4 wide receiver. Dickey will take part in the upcoming Rising Seniors game, as will his teammate Eddie Printz. The latter will play quarterback for the East squad and is still committed to SMU according to his coach Jep Irwin. The head coach of SMU June Jones flirted with the Arizona State job before returning to the Mustangs. ...
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets picked up a pair of commitments over the weekend after Union Grove’s DJ White and Norcross’ Anthony Autry both declared their intentions to take their talents to the Flats. White is one of the top defensive back prospects in the state and decided upon Tech after decommitting from South Florida several weeks ago. Autry meanwhile will head to Tech as an athlete though he played WR and DB for the Blue Devils. ...
Deangelo Brown had a nice two-day stretch last weekend. First Brown helped Savannah Christian to the Class A title by holding Landmark Christian to just one field goal. Then Brown committed to Charlie Strong and the Louisville Cardinals. Brown had also considered South Florida and Georgia Tech. ...
Kirby Smart had to be smiling last Friday night in the Georgia Dome. The Alabama defensive coordinator was standing on the sidelines when linebacker Dillon Lee returned a fumbled punt 40 yards for a score with less than one minute to play and then another Crimson Tide pledge Adam Griffith nailed a 32-yard field goal to win the game in overtime. Mike Bobo, the UGA offensive coordinator, was also seen on the sidelines, speaking with Smart, a college teammate.
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets picked up a pair of commitments over the weekend after Union Grove’s DJ White and Norcross’ Anthony Autry both declared their intentions to take their talents to the Flats. White is one of the top defensive back prospects in the state and decided upon Tech after decommitting from South Florida several weeks ago. Autry meanwhile will head to Tech as an athlete though he played WR and DB for the Blue Devils. ...
Deangelo Brown had a nice two-day stretch last weekend. First Brown helped Savannah Christian to the Class A title by holding Landmark Christian to just one field goal. Then Brown committed to Charlie Strong and the Louisville Cardinals. Brown had also considered South Florida and Georgia Tech. ...
Kirby Smart had to be smiling last Friday night in the Georgia Dome. The Alabama defensive coordinator was standing on the sidelines when linebacker Dillon Lee returned a fumbled punt 40 yards for a score with less than one minute to play and then another Crimson Tide pledge Adam Griffith nailed a 32-yard field goal to win the game in overtime. Mike Bobo, the UGA offensive coordinator, was also seen on the sidelines, speaking with Smart, a college teammate.
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