Keys to the Game

In case you are wondering what a Chippewa is...and on to the keys to the game.

Offense
Ball control. With Western Central Michigan's spread offense, we need to keep our defense off the field as much as possible. While it's great to score a lot of points, it needs to be done with sustained drives. I'm looking for a heavy dose of Knowshon.

Defense
They've got LeFevour, and the only prescription is more cowbell.


Special Teams
Kick it off into the end zone!

Go Dawgs!

Keys to the Game

Georgia Southern is no Appalachian State from last year. So let's just set that aside. I'd say the last Georgia Southern team that came to Athens in 2004 was better than the team we'll see tomorrow. Sure, Chris Hatcher is a good coach, and they have a QB that went to Ohio Stat initially. But our size, speed, and depth will be too much. Here's what I'll be looking for.

Offense
How will Kiante Tripp look at left tackle? Good enough to remain there after Boling returns from suspension? Who will get more yards...Caleb King or Richard Samuel? Oh yeah, and I'm looking forward to see that Green kid too. Seems maybe I've heard of him...

Defense
Mainly I'm going to be watching the play of the defensive ends and the reserve safeties. I want to see how Rambo looks. His name is Rambo. Amazing.

Special Teams
Blair Walsh. Blair Walsh. Blair Walsh.

Well, that's it for now. I'll check in after the game. Do not expect a highlight video this week. I apologize, but it's just not logistically possible. I'll pick those up with the Central Michigan game.

Go Dawgs!

Keys to the Game

East Coast vs. West Coast The Islands
SEC vs. WAC
David vs. Goliath
Soulja Boy vs. Haa'a
Georgia vs. Hawaii

I haven't watched Hawaii once all year, but here's what I think. Georgia is bigger, faster, and stronger. Hawaii can't out athlete us. The only chance they have is to out execute us. With that, I hope we brought our track shoes. Hawaii is going to throw short passes to set up the deep ball. I think they will look a lot like Troy did. Hopefully the outcome is the same as well.

The x-factor could be one of two people for us. First it could be Knowshon. With his ankle sprain, we don't really know how effective he is going to be. The other could be Kregg Lumpkin. Thomas Brown will start. We hope he'll share carries with Knowshon. If Knowshon's ankle is bothering him, Brown could share with Lumpkin.

I don't think this game compares to the 2006 Sugar Bowl or last year's Fiesta Bowl between Oklahoma and Boise State. We didn't take West Virginia seriously in 2006, and we're better than Oklahoma was last year.

I'm looking forward to the game. Hawaii is going to get their yards, and they are going to put up some points. But hopefully we can out execute them and come out victorious. Go Dawgs!

I'm No Longer Freaking Out

It's 4:30 on Sunday, and we've basically already been eliminated. The Coaches Poll came out earlier today. LSU's 7 point victory over Tennessee was apparently so impressive that the coaches felt the need to move them from 7 to 2. Oklahoma jumped from 8 to 3, and Georgia stayed put at 4.

I can actually see Oklahoma jumping like that. They beat the number one team. That makes sense. But LSU doesn't make sense to me. They barely beat Tennessee and they jump like that? Looks like all of the lobbying for LSU on behalf of ESPN last night worked. LSU is so far ahead of us in the coaches poll that it will take an absolute miracle in both the Harris and computers for Georgia to make the title game.

I've got a BCS spreadsheet. Based on my predictions we'll end up with a BCS like this.

1. Ohio State
2. LSU
3. Georgia
4. Virginia Tech
5. Oklahoma
I actually wouldn't be surprised if LSU jumps up to number 1 at this point. At any rate, we'll be on the outside looking in on the championship game. It was fun while it lasted!

Keys to the Game

Stop Tashard Choice. If we do that, we'll be on our way. If he gets going, that could open up the passing game. That is the last thing we need. If we have no respect for the play action pass, that's a huge plus for our defense.

On offense, we need to jump on them early. And that does not mean we need to start off throwing the ball all over the place. Tech has a very, very good defense. So we need to stay balanced on offense like we have been. Many of Tech's blitzes are run blitzes. If Knowshon can make them pay for blitzing, maybe they will be hesitant to do so.

I'm glad it looks like we'll have nice weather today. I think a rainy sloppy game would play into Tech's favor. But if you're looking for a Georiga blowout, I doubt you'll see it. I think we're in for a battle today.

Go Dawgs!

Keys to the Game

There won't be any mandated celebrations. Black jerseys will not be worn. The players will need to get up on their own. Well, on their own and with the help of the fans, oh and Soulja Boy blaring throughout the stadium.

But none of that should matter. The team needs to look no further than these two pictures for motivation.


Image from OnlineAthens.


Image from DawgPost.com.

As far as this game goes, it looks like Rafael Little will play. We have to watch out for this guy. With all of the pub Woodson has got this year, the spotlight has come off of Little some. He's dangerous on offense and special teams.

Really, we just need to keep playing like we've been playing and we'll be fine. But if we don't, this really sets up for a trap game.

Go Dawgs!

Keys to the Game

The Black Out will defeat Auburn by itself. Just kidding!

Loren Smith says it best.

Well Larry, I think we're in for an all out dogfight. Back to you.

Everyone is making a big deal about the blackout and will we wear black jerseys etc. The fact is this game will be won on the field by the better team, and the team that is most fired up. Maybe the black helps fire our guys up, but that's about it. Having said that, I will include several what if pics throughout this post.

I'm expecting to see a battle like the game in 2005. Back and forth. Good offense. Good defense. A game that comes down to the final drive.

To win, our ground game must be effective. We've seen how well it can open up the pass against Florida. Getting Thomas Brown back should help keep Knowshon fresh. I also want to see a heavy dose of Sean Bailey, Mohamed Massaquoi, and Mikey Henderson. I feel that is another reason we played so well against Florida. Those three were in the game more than usual for the season. I liked it. Obviously, we need the line to hold up as well. This will be the best defense they have faced thus far.

On Defense, we need to make Brandon Cox try and win the game on his own. I don't think we can say we took away the run last year. We got ahead so fast Auburn had to pass. I'd be shocked if that happened again. If Lester runs wild, we could see the Cox of 2005 rather than 2006, and that would be a very bad thing.

Again, look for an absolute war. Don't forget to wear black and show up early. Let's rock Sanford. Black out Auburn!

Go Dawgs!

All images sent to me by 82 over at FootballHuddle.net.

Keys to the Game

Dawg fans. Be prepared for a battle of epic proportions. Coming off of our upset win over the defending national champion Florida Gators, we now must face the men of Troy. Wait. What? Troy University? Not USC? Oh. That totally changes everything.

Seriously though, our guys had better bring their A game. Contrary to my joke above, Troy is for real. They spanked, and I mean spanked, Oklahoma State. They also put up 31 points on Florida. OK so they also gave up 59, but still.

If we bring our A game, this could be a relaxing homecoming. If we don't, it could be like UAB a few years back. Let's hope it's the former and not the latter.

Also, Coach Richt is urging fans to come out to the Dog Walk. I'm thinking this is because the Dog Walk is usally light on Homecoming with many people visiting their fratenity or sorority. So head over and help get the Dawgs ready to play!

Go Dawgs!

Keys to the Game

The Gators are flat out better than Georgia. There is no questioning that. Their passing defense is bad, but so was Tennessee's. We need Ol' Lady Luck to be on our side. That, and we need Tebow's (or is that T-Bone's?) injured shoulder to get worse. Go Dawgs!

Keys to the Game

The main thing this week is that we need to look like Georgia, and we need to make them look like Vanderbilt.

Brandon Miller, Marcus Washington and Thomas Brown are out, and Mikey Henderson is questionable. Depth could be an issue, so we're going to need to come out strong.

If we see the following things, I think we'll win today.

On Offense
1. Knocking Vanderbilt back on offense coming off the ball.
2. A steady, and productive, dose of Knowshon Moreno and Kregg Lumpkin out of the backfield.
3. Enough protection to allow Stafford to step into his throws.

On Defense
1. The defensive line putting pressure on the quarterback.
2. The linebackers shedding blocks and making tackles.
3. All defenders taking the proper angles on plays.

On Special Teams
1. Kick off deep.
2. Block for the punter.
3. Thomas Flowers (above) stepping in admirably for Mikey Henderson at punt returner.

If we can't do these things, we could be in for a long night. See Vandy last year...

Keys to the Game

I know my comments about Tennessee this week have been lacking. For that, I apologize. But, I guess its just I've been nervous about the game all week. If you read the Georgia Sports Blog, you've seen all of the poor mouthing going on from Vols fans. This makes me a little uneasy. I definitely prefer to have people telling us we can't win, rather than telling us we can't lose.

But anyway, on to the keys to the game. On offense, continue to run the ball and use that to set up the play action pass. Tennessee's defensive woes have been well documented. They are 11th in pass defense and 9th in rushing defense. Yikes! It will be just our luck they will pull it all together after having last week off.

As bad as Tennessee's defense has been, their passing offense has been just as good. They rank first in passing offense; however, they rank 11th in rushing offense. It's amazing to me they've been able to pass so well with no semblance of a running game. Again, we need to make sure this is not the week their ground game takes off. Imagine how good their passing game could be if the defense truly has to respect the play action?

What really scares me about defending their offense is the line play. While Tennessee's line is not as big as Mississippi's, it is much more talented. With as good as Tennessee's passing game has been, our secondary could really use the help of a good pass rush from the defensive line.

Finally on special teams, I think people are putting too much stock into this area. Yes, Tennessee gave up a punt return TD against both Cal and Florida. However, we returned a punt and kickoff for a TD last year, and look what happened. I think this is an element where we have an edge, but it isn't enough on its own.

In the end I think this game may come down to the play of our defensive line and linebackers. Let's hope Brandon Miller looks like he did last week. Go Dawgs!

All stats quoted above came from SECSports.com.

Keys to the Game

I'm going to stick to my guns from last week. Solid O-line play. Get the ball in Knowshon's hands (plus he really seems to get Thomas Brown going as well). And last on offense, get it to Bailey and Massaquoi!!! (and Mikey too)

On defense, stopping the run is incredibly huge. BenJarvus Green-Ellis (Dean-Liggons Verdun-Wheeler) is not an easy man to stop. He ran all over us last year. This is the best back we've seen all year. Add to that the fact that they can actually throw this year. So the play action pass also becomes a factor.

If I told you I'd watched a down of Ole Miss football this season, I'd be a liar. But here is what I know. We barely beat Ole Miss last year. And, Florida barely beat Ole Miss last week. Moral victories mean nothing, but huge upsets mean a lot. So let's bring it hard Dawgs, and not give Ole Miss anything to really celebrate about.

Keys to the Game

During the first quarter of last week's game between Bama and Arkansas I called my dad. Bama was taking it to the Hogs, and I got scared. I told my dad we were going to get stomped by Bama, and he agreed.

Then, somehow Arkansas stormed back. And if it wasn't for the combination of a ridiculous move by Houston Nutt (throwing on third down when Bama had no timeouts!?!?) and a bogus pass interference call, Bama wouldn't have that first fourth quarter comeback since before Shula was their coach. Plus, is it really a comeback when you blow a ginormous lead and then need to come back?

Anyway, I felt much better after the entire game than I did after the first quarter. Georgia can win, but there are several things they need to do.

If Georgia is going to win, they need to start off fast on offense a la the Auburn game last year. I'm looking for a nice deep ball on the first possession to either Demiko Goodman or Sean Bailey.

I'd also like to see our best receivers in the game for key situations. If the coaches insist on rotating 18 receivers, so be it. But if it's 3rd and 8, Bailey and Massaquoi need to be on the field.

Their defensive line is unproven. More Knowshon, need I say more?

Lastly on offense, we need the young line to play like veterans. Not one, but two true freshmen are starting in Clint Boling and Trinton Sturdivant. This is going to be a very hostile environment on the road in the SEC at night. I'm not expecting them to play lights out. What I want to avoid is blocking the wrong guy allowing the defense a clean and easy shot at Stafford like against Western Carolina.

On defense, we have to get pressure on John Parker Wilson. (Is he an assassin or something? What's with the three names?) He's shown that he can make poor decisions and throws when pressured in the past. My Bama friends have told me his receivers bail him out a lot.

The bottom line is our defensive success rests on the line. They got pushed around against South Carolina. That can't happen again here. Although, if we stay in a 4-3 in obvious running situations, that will help too.

In all honesty, I have no idea what this game is going to be like. In 2002, I really felt like it was going to be a slugfest that could be decided on special teams. That ended up being the case. With this game, I have no idea. I could see it being a tight game, or a blowout by either team. Anything is possible. Will the Dawgs come out on top? I don't know, but they can.

Key to the Game

No, the headline is not a typo. The past two weeks, I've given keys to the game. This week against Western Carolina, there is only one key. Show up. Now, don't take this the wrong way. I'm not saying our guys can just show up to the stadium and win. What I'm saying is, they actually need to show up and play. Just ask Michigan.

And on top of that, the players are going to have to get themselves up. My guess is it's not going to be a packed house tomorrow. I'm sure a lot of people weren't planning on going to the game anyway against a lesser opponent. Then, the people who were on the fence about going may have changed their mind when we lost to South Carolina last week. That's just what happens at these non-conference games.

So, the Dawgs just need to bring their A-game. No special keys this week. Just bring it.

Keys to the Game

Hopefully, this game come downs to the fact that Matthew Stafford got his feet wet last week, and Blake Mitchell has yet to play. Aside from that, watch the play of the lines. South Carolina's defensive line should be good, and much better than what we saw last week from Oklahoma State. Look for more wide receiver screens early to let the line settle in. If that play continues to work, look for the pump fake followed by a deep throw.

Again, no predictions here. I just hope we can keep Darth Visor from notching one in the win column against us as the Cocks' coach.

In the meantime, here's the highlights from last years game.


Go Dawgs!

Keys to the Game

I know I haven't commented a whole lot on Saturday's game. I get nervous about the first game, what can I say...Plus, I know jack about Oklahoma State. Most Bulldog fans seem a little apprehensive about this game. There are also a lot that think this will be just like Boise State in 2005. Personally, I don't see any similarities between this game and that one.

First off, Boise State put way too much on themselves. They were calling that game the biggest in the program's history. Oklahoma State plays Oklahoma every year, so they've played in big games before. Also, I expect Oklahoma State to be bigger and stronger than Boise State was.

I also don't think our guys compare favorably to the Dawgs of 2005. That team had a veteran offensive line. We don't have that luxury this year. The 2005 team also had DJ Shockley. Sure that was his first start, but he'd been in the program a long time.

So, I don't think this game compares to Boise State. I'm looking for it to be much closer. I'm also not going to make a prediction (I'm superstitious, sorry). What I will do is tell you what needs to happen for Georgia to win.

First off, our defense needs to shut them down early. A shootout does not favor Georgia. If the defense can get a few stops early in the game, it will give the offense time to gel.

Second, establish the run. I think a better comparison to this team is the Dawgs of 2003. That offensive line was talented but young. Opening at Clemson, they established the run early with Tony Milton. That opened up the passing game for long TD passes to Gibson. Also, the line will probably be better at run blocking early on in the season. If Brown, Lumpkin, or Moreno can break off a few long ones, look for Sean Bailey deep.

Third, we need to stick with the hot back. If they want to mix them up and keep them fresh, fine by me. But if one is obviously playing better, stick with him. After the game I don't want to be analyzing why any of the backs was averaging 8 yards per carry in the first half, and then only got one carry in the third quarter.

Finally we need good play from our special teams. I'm not worried about field goals with Coutu. I'm also not worried about punt returns with either Flowers or Henderson back there. What I am worried about is punting and kickoff coverage. Ely-Kelso is gone, and we're now kicking off from the 30. Our kickoff coverage was bad enough anyway. Now the kickoff won't go as far, and the return man will have more time to get going. Hopefully our kickoff coverage will improve, and maybe our returns will improve as well negating it all.

I'm ready for the game! If the Dawgs follow my steps, we should be alright.