SB Nation - Jeff Owens

Lane Kiffin gets the first notch in his belt

Will — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 16:00:21 -0000

"Alright, I'm going to pretend like I was expecting this from you all along, okay? Just go with it."

In our Rocky Top Tennessee preseason annual, Josh McNeil said "Football is not fun if you lose. Period." It's a sentiment we can all relate to, especially in the last two years. And especially for McNeil, who added injury to insult in fall camp, probably lost millions of NFL dollars along the way and worst of all, appeared to have lost the ability to play football at all.

That's the same Josh McNeil we saw on the field in the waning moments today, with his hands on the football once more and, presumably, a smile on his face. For more than one reason. Because as little fun as we had all of last season, today was a welcome reminder that when you win - and you win like this - football is fun. Really, really fun.

The fact that we had the luxury of getting McNeil on the field at all is a good place to start. Because I always enjoy the games where you can't decide what you're most excited about:

The first big win for Lane Kiffin

Last year, the Vols suffered the most frustrating competitive loss in recent memory against Auburn, and were more or less noncompetitive in the rest of the big SEC games, losing by 20+ to Florida, Alabama and South Carolina. Plus, the Vols gave up 458 yards to Georgia and ran for one total yard themselves in a 26-14 loss.

This year, it's been competitive, but up until today that was all. We were close against Florida. Close against UCLA. We made it close at the end against Auburn. There was reason for hope.

But we needed more than hope. This program hadn't won a big game in two years, and Lane Kiffin needed a reason to be believed besides his work behind a microphone and in the living room on the recruiting trail.

The Clawfense was our hope once. But when it never became tangible, the players never had a reason to fully buy in, and that hope eventually collapsed and took everyone down with it. Phillip Fulmer's inability to keep the snowball from rolling downhill by winning a big game was the final nail in his coffin last season.

Kiffin was next in line to give us hope. But unlike last season, today he and the Vols got a return on that investment. A big one.

Any win would've been huge today. But the how of it all, in a 45-19 game that could've/should've been 45-3 if you remove special teams from the equation, gives Kiffin his big first win, and gives him something to hang his hat on. Now we've seen it, now we know for sure that this can work - players, fans, everyone. That's not to say that Kiffin is going to have success here forever, but when you win like that in your first year against one of your biggest rivals, you earn a whole lot of trust. Tennessee needed to win one of these big SEC games in the worst way. And turns out, we won in the very best way.

Georgia got 458 yards of offense last year. This year they got 241. Tennessee had 1 rushing yard last year. This year we got 162. And if you liked the running game...

Willie Martinez overtakes Jonathan Crompton for the "Most Likely to be Hated by His Own Fanbase" Award

At halftime, I told my friend next to me in Z11 that I didn't want to see Crompton's numbers. There was a Raiders of the Lost Ark feel about it - "Shut your eyes! Don't look at it!" - because what #8 did in the first half was so totally unnatural, I feared that seeing 12 of 15 for 205 yards and 3 TDs and then having my brain try to comprehend it might, in fact, make my face melt off.

Then in the second half, when the dreaded tipped ball pick six reared its ugly head and Georgia was right in the middle of one of those games it seems like that team always wins - statistically overmatched, but in it thanks to special teams and defensive touchdowns - Crompton went right back to work.

Let's take nothing away from him. That offensive performance was stunning, and he deserves every ounce of credit for his role in it. So do the receivers for catching almost everything - eight different Vols caught passes, and Gerald Jones gave us the type of go-to performance we've been waiting for with 105 yards and 2 TDs.

So does Montario Hardesty, for giving every defense a reason to be vulnerable to play action, and for continuing to be the best running back in the SEC.

Having said all of that...Georgia's defense? Yikes.

It's the biggest difference between on-paper and on-field I can remember in a long time. You looked at the names in August - Prince Miller, Rennie Curran, Geno Atkins, Jeff Owens, Reshad Jones - and figured they'd carry the slack for Joe Cox and the offense. You look at the numbers here in the second weekend of October, and see a defense that's given up 37+ points three times, 400+ yards three times, and made Jon Crompton and Stephen Garcia look like Peyton Manning and (insert good South Carolina quarterback here - Steve Tanneyhill does not count).

T Kyle King was on our podcast last week and said that Georgia's special teams should've taken some of the heat off Martinez after the LSU game. After the Tennessee game, whoever's responsible for special teams needs a raise...unless it's Martinez.

This leads to a larger point:

Georgia reminds me of Tennessee in the last few years of the Fulmer Era

They run a consistent offense that isn't "sexy" and, when it features Joe Cox instead of Matthew Stafford, isn't that consistent. They got a great young coach who brought them more success than they had seen in decades, but who has struggled to maintain that level of success on a consistent basis, and who is fiercely loyal to his assistants, for better or worse. Meanwhile, just as Fulmer watched the SEC go from a two-team race to everyone for themselves, Richt found his early success when Ron Zook was at Florida and the door was revolving in Tuscaloosa. Now the Tide and Gators are a step ahead of everyone else, LSU is still right behind them, and Georgia just got embarrassed by the new kid on the block. And the Dawgs will see the other new kid come November, and Gene Chizik certainly appeared to have Auburn moving in the right direction until Saturday.

And in this little game, Willie Martinez will be playing the role of Randy Sanders.

Between my total shock at Crompton's performance and the small but shared recognition I feel with Georgia fans, I didn't even fully enjoy their suffering in Neyland Stadim today. I still hope they enjoyed the long sad drive back down I-7-5, but you know.

Because we've been there. We've been Georgia. As a friend of mine said in the postgame, we've forded that river and lost two oxen.

I like it much better this way.

Georgia's offense never crossed the Tennessee 30 yard line

...no commentary necessary.

Staying Relevant

In a world where Florida has beaten you five years in a row and won two National Championships in the process, Alabama is back to being Alabama and LSU is also ahead of you, it was absolutely critical for Lane Kiffin to keep Tennessee from slipping any further in the SEC hierarchy.

Beating Georgia was, is, and always will be key for recruiting. By the way, what are the odds Coach O picked up the phone and called Marlon's Granny after the game today?

But it also pays off in the short term: being just the fifth best team in the SEC is still good enough to get you to January 1, and after that performance the conversations about bowl games move from if to where.

And even if I'm too busy feeling Georgia's pain to fully appreciate it the way I'd like to today, it should be noted and remembered that three of the last four years, the Vols have beaten the Dawgs 51-33, 35-14, and 45-19.

So now the bye week comes at the perfect time, as the Vols will carry some spring in their step to Tuscaloosa to face a tremendous challenge. And they'll face it not as a 2-4 team still looking for answers and their first big win, but a 3-3 team that isn't just hoping anymore...now we've seen it. Now we know.

Saturday NFL Draft watch notes

Mocking Dan — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 14:46:41 -0000

More photos » by Bill Haber - AP

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• A possible matchup tonight between Brandon LaFell of LSU and Joe Haden of Florida is the most intriguing one of the day. Haden can get out of position, something a heady receiver like LaFell can take advantage of. Haden is really good against the run, so he'll test LaFell's blocking ability. LaFell dominated this matchup last season.

This will also be a good game to see what offensive tackle Ciron Black (LSU) and Carlos Dunlap (Florida) are worth. Both have been having ordinary seasons, especially Dunlap. Black is a strong blocker so Dunlap will have to use his initial quickness more today.

In general, LSU's top prospects have been average this season. Running back Charles Scott finally broke a big run last week, but he's slow to the hole. End Rahim Alem has been able to get after the passer and defensive tackle Al Woods has been non-existant. Each could turn their draft fortunes around today.

• Another week and another chance for Mississippi's Jevan Snead to try and prove he's an elite talent. His struggles this year have been plenty noted, but things won't get any easier against Alabama tonight. Snead needs to rely less on his arm strength and use his brain more. Alabama will bring a lot of pressure and Snead's resolve will be tested.

Also in this game, watch for Rebels defensive end Greg Hardy to have a big game. Alabama's offensive tackles are just average so Hardy could have a big game.

• The Ohio State front four is impressive and filled with NFL-caliber players. Chief among them are ends Cameron Heyward and Thaddeus Gibson. Against the pass, particularly Gibson, they are terrors. Today against Wisconsin, they can show how good they are against the run. Sophomore John Clay is a bulldozer of a back who is hard to take down.

• Oklahoma State left tackle Russell Okung can display his dominance today when the Cowboys play Texas A&M. Von Miller has become one of the nation's top sack artists and he'll test Okung's quickness and ability to move his feet.

• Last week Iowa offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga showed few sigs of rust. However, that was against Arkansas State. Today against Michigan the junior might face all-conference end Brandon Graham. The senior can get low around the edge, which could give Bulaga problems.

• Against the duo rushing attack of Chris Brown and DeMarco Murray of Oklahoma, Baylor inside linebacker Joe Pawelek will have his hands full today. This could be a showcase game for the senior sleeper. He has some athletic deficiencies but makes a lot of plays.

• This won't be a game where he can show his ability against the pass, but Florida State's Patrick Robinson is a player to watch today against Georgia Tech. He's considered a one-dimensional player but will get to show what he can do against the run. Robinson has looked good this season against the pass.

• Georgia defensive tackles Jeff Owens and Geno Atkins have been a big disappointment this season. Conversely, Tennessee's Montario Hardesty has been one of the biggest surprises this season. It could be a good matchup to watch this week.

Previewing South Carolina at Georgia: Georgia's Defense

Gamecock Man — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 00:17:28 -0000

Georgia uses a traditional 4-3 defense. The 'Dawgs, although they struggled at points late last season, have consistently had one of the best defenses in the country over the past few years, ranking no lower than 22nd in the country in total defense since 2002. Georgia continued to play strong defense last week in their loss to Oklahoma State, giving up only 307 total, 135 passing, and 172 rushing yards to OSU's vaunted offense. The 'Dawgs did give up a relatively high 24 points, but OSU often had a short field due to Georgia's offensive miscues.

Georgia's strengths on defense are numerous. First of all, although they gave up a relatively high amount of rushing yards against OSU, the 'Dawgs should be strong against the run this year with Geno Atkins, Jeff Owens, and Kade Weston forming a talented interior-line rotation. Also helping out on the run will be star inside linebacker Rennie Curran, who led the SEC in tackles a year ago. The 'Dawgs secondary is led by Prince Miller and Reshad Jones and did a good job slowing down a usually prolific OSU passing attack last week.

Georgia's defensive weaknesses coming into the season were their pass rush and overall passing defense. Georgia failed to register many sacks last year, a fact attested to by the fact that our paltry line for the most part kept them out of our backfield last year. Georgia had no sacks and few hurries against Oklahoma State, although it should be said that OSU was known for being rarely sacked last year. Georgia did well against the pass against Oklahoma State, suggesting that their talent and depth in the linebacking corps and secondary may be coming together in passing defense.

Read the rest of the preview after the jump.

This weekend, I expect Georgia to try to play to our perceived weaknesses by assuming that their line can manhandle ours and stuff our rushing game, usually using their linebacking corp to play the pass, and occasionally using blitzs to attempt to throw Stephen Garcia off. Georgia's inability to get quarterback pressure with a four-man rush will require these blitzes. These strategies should be effective for the most part. Our rushing game showed some potential last week against a decent N. C. State rushing defense, but we still averaged less than 3 ypc. Georgia has no reason to believe that their more talented line can't hold us to the same average until we prove otherwise. With Spurrier claiming he'll be less conservative this week, I do expect you'll see us diversify the running game with more outside pitches, occasional option plays, and perhaps wildcat formations with Stephon Gilmore taking the snap. Hopefully this, along with better line play and fewer freshman mistakes by Jarvis Giles, will help us move the ball on the ground somewhat effectively. However, you have to think that Georgia will be able to limit our rushing yards to a large degree.

As far as the passing game goes, I think that with their rushing defense Georgia will mostly play to dare Garcia to throw the ball downfield, assuming that he won't make the throws he needs to and may make occasional mistakes that lead to turnovers. Again, Spurrier claims he's going to take more chances this week, so we can expect to see us take Georgia's gambit here. Whether we succeed depends on a few keys. First of all, Garcia obviously needs to continue to avoid throwing into traffic. He did a good job of that last week, and I'd much prefer to see him continue to take a two- or three-yard gain on the ground instead of forcing the ball, as I think our defense can carry us in this game as long as we don't commit turnovers. Second of all, Garcia has to make the throws when he has open receivers. He underthrew Tori Gurley on the touchdown that got called back and underthrew a wide-open Weslye Saunders earlier in the game. He has to make those throws when we get the chances, because we won't get many. Finally, Garcia has to manage the blitz better. Spurrier criticizes him for not audibling well against N. C. State, and we've seen Garcia have trouble with this before. If he can find out a way to handle the blitz, we could see things open up in different ways. An well-timed handoff or pitch to the speedy Giles seems like the ideal blitz-breaker to me.

Overall, I expect we'll have some trouble moving the ball against Georgia. However, if we can limit turnovers and convert on the scoring opportunities we get, I do think we can score some points against the 'Dawgs. This week it probably really will be about Garcia; we're going to have trouble running, so Garcia playing smart and making plays when he gets the chance is what will have to make the difference for us.

3k's Eyes on the Prize - College Football Week 1

3k — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 18:56:34 -0000

Time to get my eyes on the prize - the young studs that annually replenish the NFL with talent... and holdouts. There are some great games this weekend and some not so good ones. I'll throw in a quick recap of last night's action too with enough links to make your eyes water.

While I'm on the subject of blurry vision, LeGarette Blount may have seen his team embarassed in Boise and may have seen his draft stock plummet in a single night, but his stock as a boxer may have risen high. Especially if he continues to go after guys while they're not watching. Check out the evidence after the ad:

I think the Raiders may have found an option for their backfield.

Prizes after the fold.

NOTE: Rankings are taken from the AP poll. All times are central time zone.

Thursday recap

- North Texas @ Ball St., 20-10: This was a huge win for the Mean Green. To go into Muncie after posting a 1-11 season with so many games against the basement of college football, the Sun Belt conference, against a Ball St. team that went 12-0 last season (even if they lost QB Nate Davis and OT Robert Brewster to the NFL) and win is the kind of turnaround the Rams could enjoy with a win at Seattle in week 1. UNT QB Riley Dodge, who spurned Texas to play at UNT for his dad, head coach Todd Dodge, looked like, well, a respectable college QB in the first game of his redshirt freshman campaign; senior RB Cam Montgomery looked studly, racking up 149 yards on just 17 carries. Dodge's and Montgomery's play took the spotlight away from the one legitimate draft prospect going into the game, Ball St. senior RB MiQuale Lewis, who finished with just over 100 yards on 15 carries and a TD.

- South Carolina @ North Carolina St., 7-3: I'm so glad I didn't watch this one. I've got two prospects from these two teams on my radar: Senior SC OLB Eric Norwood (who racked up 2 sacks last night) and NC St.'s senior DE Willie Young. Might have been nice to evaluate these two defenders, but not against offenses as weak as this.

- GAME OF THE NIGHT: #14 Boise St. vs. #16 Oregon, 19-8: The story from this game will be the Blount fallout, but Boise St.'s defense was absolutely dominant. The Broncos allowed just 31 rushing yard to one of the most respected ground games in the country. Blount was in the top tier of RB prospects in what looks like a VERY weak draft for RBs. With him out of the mix for a while, I'll be watching two other Oregon seniors: CB Walter Thurmond (who I mentioned on this week's Turf Show Radio), and TE Ed Dickson. On to Saturday's action...

Saturday prizes

I've got four games I'll be checking in on throughout the day:

- #9t Oklahoma St. vs. #13 Georgia (2:30PM, ABC): Oklahoma St. hopes the opening of the recently renovated Boone Pickens Stadium doesn't end up being a sad day in the record books. The Cowboys are ranked higher than they ever have been in the preseason rankings, and this game has gotten as much hype as an opener possibly can. Few teams can boast an offensive quartet as talented as OSU's: QB Zac Robinson, RB Kendall Hunter, WR/RET Dez Bryant and OT Russell Okung. They could all come out in the draft and go in the 1st round. Scary thought, though I don't think Robinson will go until the middle of the draft. Georgia boasts one of the best DT tandems in the country in Geno Atkins and Jeff Owens. Of course, the NFL Draft will be the last thing on nearly everyone's mind on Saturday. OSU is trying to kickstart a run to the Big 12 Championship while Georgia is trying to open the post-StaffordMoreno era with a big non-conference win in Stillwater. For the Bulldogs, Senior QB Joe Cox will try to go to standout soph WR A.J. Green as much as possible, since their running back committee is one member short given the hamstring injury to Caleb King. Oklahoma St. will lean on the talents they boast on offense to make the crowd a factor early.

Kdiction: OSU 27, Georgia 10

- #3 Oklahoma vs. #20 BYU (6:00PM, ESPN - neutral site): Oklahoma comes to Dallas for a huge opener, just not the biggest game of the college football season, to play Brigham Young in Jerry Jones' wet dream-turned-temple. Oklahoma will be without the best TE in college football, Jermaine Gresham, who will miss several games with a knee injury. Still, with Sam Bradford at the helm making the most of OT Trent Williams' blocking, and the tandem of DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown (the one who beats defenses, not women), BYU will have its hands full. The Cougars have a TE prospect for the NFL themselves in Dennis Pitta, so there's still some talent at the position for the draftniks in this one. From a Rams perspective, one guy I'll be watching is DT DeMarcus Granger; Granger could be a solid mid-round pick for the Rams who I hope are thinking of DTs they can bring on to replace a certain permanently injured lineman whose name I don't feel like typing.

Kdiction: Oklahoma 42, BYU 13

- #5 Alabama vs. #7 Virginia Tech (7:00PM, ABC - neutral site): The lowest average ranking of the two teams of any game this weekend, just having this battle scheduled is a joy for college football fans. This is the kind of non-conference game I wish we had more of every season. They'll both head to Atlanta to open their seasons in the Georgia Dome in front of what will be a rabid crowd. I mentioned CB Javier Arenas on TSR (as well as my mancrush, WR Julio Jones), but keep an eye on DT Terrence Cody as well. If Spags has an inkling of moving to a 3-4, Cody is the mountain of a man (hovering around 400 lbs.) you want at NT. Tech will be without their sophomore rushing star Darren Evans all season, so they're going to need to prove they can still move the ball against the one of the better defenses in the country. I'll be interested in CB Stephan Virgil who also handles some return duties.

Kdiction: Alabama 24, Va. Tech 14

- #11 LSU @ Washington (9:30PM, ESPN): I've got this one on here not so much for Washington who might have a couple guys find their way to the NFL as undrafted pickups (except for a certain junior), but for LSU who is loaded with talent. The top two prospects from the Tigers are easily identifiable: WR Brandon LaFell and OT Ciron Black. Both could end up as first round picks. LSU is coming off an incredibly disappointing season, so I'm sure they want to get things moving in the right direction this year. Now for that mystery junior I referenced -- Washington QB Jake Locker. Locker has everything you want in a QB prospect... except talented targets. After a stellar freshman effort, Locker injured his thumb last year, so it will be interesting to see how he begins the 2009 season. Locker's also a highly-touted baseball prospect, so he might not end up in the NFL. Nevertheless, his talent demands scrutiny this season and in this game to see if he can make diamonds out of dirt.

Kdiction: LSU 38, Washington 18

So what are you interested in yakking for tomorrow? Is it certain games? Matchups in those games? And are you interested in specific prospects or positions? Holler.

2009 Opponent Previews - Georgia

Will — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 18:00:12 -0000

More photos » by John Bazemore - AP

"Now listen, Bobby Bowden gave me this hat..."

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The Series

Like the Tennessee-Florida rivalry, this one is born out of divisional alignment in 1992. The Vols lead the overall series 20-16-2. Tennessee won the first eight annual meetings and Georgia never beat Tennessee in the 90s. The Dawgs turned that around in the first part of this decade, winning four straight from 2000-2003. Since then, the rivalry has found a relatively even playing ground: the Vols are 3-2 in the last five games, but for the first time in a long time, neither team feels like it has the other's number.

Last Year

Georgia was preseason #1, but the Vols weren't impressed after the 35-14 beating they gave the Dawgs in 2007. But by the time the 2008 meeting rolled around in Athens, Tennessee had already lost thrice, and Georgia had been violently dethroned by Alabama. The Dawgs rolled up yardage but big plays from Tennessee's two best players, Robert Ayers and Eric Berry, kept them from rolling up points. With Nick Stephens at the helm, Tennessee scored off Berry's end zone INT to cut Georgia's lead to 20-14, but the defense couldn't keep Georgia from adding to their lead, and the offense had done all it could. The Dawgs finished it out with a 26-14 win that dropped the Vols to 2-4. Georgia would later lose to their two biggest rivals, Florida and Georgia Tech, and finish a long way from their preseason expectations.

Georgia Offense

Matt Stafford was the number one overall pick in the NFL Draft, and Knowshon Moreno wasn't far behind him. So while the offense returns four starters on the line and All-SEC WR AJ Green, much of the focus is on Joe Cox and Caleb King, and much of Georgia's fate may be in their hands. Cox has that "fifth year senior who waited his turn" vibe about him, having seen action here and there in the last three years behind Stafford. As such, key words like "game management" seem to keep coming up when you read about him.

If Georgia is to find success while their quarterback merely manages, that puts pressure on King and the running game. Some sources said King had a relatively disappointing spring, and there will be other carries for guys like redshirt freshman Carlton Thomas. No matter who's handling the ball, Georgia has to find success in the running game for this team to be successful. And in a comparison we love to make around these parts, they were humbled last season after championship expectations fell short, lost their superstar #1 draft pick quarterback, and return an offense with only one proven star and a quarterback who waited his turn. Can the "no stars" philosophy work for the Dawgs in 2009? If so they'll need to be bolstered by the...

Georgia Defense

This is a unit that returns six starters, two at each position group, but one that also has some atoning to do: last year the Dawgs gave up 41, 49 and 45 in their three losses, and also gave up 38 apiece to LSU and Kentucky in shootout wins. They were 22nd nationally in total defense but 58th in scoring defense. The best fix may be the reunited tandem of Jeff Owens and Geno Atkins at defensive tackle, which will be the clear strength of a defensive line hurting for experienced playmakers at end. Rennie Currian had 115 tackles last year and is a preseason All-SEC linebacker. Prince Miller returns at corner and Rashad Jones at safety. Georgia was -3 in turnovers last year, and with ball control offense in '09 they need that number to make a big jump in their favor.

It's baptism by fire right away with this group, opening at Oklahoma State.

Best Case Scenario for the Vols

Georgia comes in depleted by their murderous schedule, and Tennessee is rolling on a 4-1 start. Again, similar themes in the best case scenario: Tennessee's defense takes advantage of an inexperienced quarterback, and by this point key freshmen are experienced playmakers for the Vol offense. Jonathan Crompton out-manages Joe Cox, Montario Hardesty out-rushes Caleb King, and the Vols find just enough points against a stingy Dawg defense to upset Georgia in Knoxville.

Worst Case Scenario for the Vols

Now that this series has finally reached some even ground, the worst thing that could happen is for Georgia to gain a definitive upper hand. Regardless of the outcome of the five previous games for either team, Georgia comes out and is simply better than Tennessee - the UGA defense attacks Crompton and keeps the Vols in single digits, while Joe Cox is in rhythm and the Dawgs get all the points they need. Georgia wins comfortably in Knoxville, and the Vols are forced to deal with the realization that right now, they're just not on the same level as the Bulldogs.

Game Importance Ranking: 9.4

This is the highest one you'll see. It's above the Gators because while we're given no chance to win that one, this one in Knoxville is a slightly different story. I can't make a rational argument that the Vols are going to beat Florida or Alabama on the road. I think the rational argument can be made for what would be an upset here. I'm not saying it's going to happen...I'm just saying it's more in the realm of possibilities.

Last year the Dawgs dominated the yardage battle, but the game was tight on the scoreboard throughout. Is there really that much talent separation between these two teams? The Vols had a better defense statistically last year, Georgia is inexperienced at key positions on offense...if Jonathan Crompton improves (and how could he not?), are we really that far apart?

Georgia's schedule to open the season - at Oklahoma State, South Carolina, at Arkansas, Arizona State, LSU, at Tennessee - is beyond brutal, and the Dawgs could be burdened with a handful of losses already. But even if not, it's very very difficult to play at the high level winning all of those games would require for six consecutive weeks. The Dawgs get Vanderbilt and an off week after Tennessee, making Knoxville the last real obstacle in the opening stretch...something I think works to UT's advantage.

So on our schedule, this is the biggest game that we realistically have a chance in. That to me makes it more important than Florida. UCLA is of first importance, then Auburn...but if the Vols win those two, this becomes the greatest test. Kiffin and the Vols will be asked to clear the bar at higher levels each week...but if Tennessee walks into this game 4-1, the Vols will truly have a chance for a one-year turnaround. More than that, if the Vols want to get back in the annual SEC elite conversation, they don't do that just with one stunning upset, but by consistently beating teams on their same level. If Georgia has pulled even with Tennessee, the most important thing Tennessee can do is make sure they don't pull ahead. That starts this season in Knoxville.

Recommended Reading - DawgSports

The 2009 Georgia Bulldogs are Overrated...or Underrated

Putting Georgia's 2008 Season Into Perspective

5 Keys To A Successful Season, Part 3: Interior Offensive Line Play

Richard Pittman — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 11:43:08 -0000

In a column written just over a year ago and on another blog (hard to believe I've been at ATVS for only just over a year), I said that the interior of the offensive line was the second most important part of an offense, behind only the quarterback. I still believe that. Here is what I said:

2. Interior Offensive Line: This is where I part ways with a lot of other commentators. I think the key position-to-position matchup on any football field is the battle between the center/guard combination and the defensive tackles on the other side of the ball. Whoever can win the battle on the interior of the line goes a long way towards having success, both in running the ball and in throwing. If your interior offensive linemen can handle the defensive tackles 1-on-1, you will almost certainly have a lot of success on your offense. If you interior offensive line needs double-teams to keep the tackles out of the backfield, that frees up the rest of the defense to maneuver with several unblocked players. It's also great to have guards who can get to the second or third level and block linebackers or safeties, but I'll settle for linemen who can handle the tackles. I think interior offensive line is often overlooked, or it is believed you can just plug players into the position interchangeably. They certainly aren't paid nearly as well in the NFL at these positions as are the tackles, but I think you absolutely need these guys to have success in order for your offense to have success.

If you remember how big of a part of our defense a healthy Glenn Dorsey was, I think you would agree with me. A defensive tackle who can beat your interior linemen will disrupt everything you try to do. You can run away from a defensive end. You can avoid throwing at a certain cornerback. You can't escape a defensive tackle. The play starts right on top of him. The SEC has some good ones, like Terrance Cody (Bama), Geno Atkins (Georgia), Jeff Owens (Georgia), Malcolm Sheppard (Arkansas), and others who will be playing in the NFL.

This is why the guards and the center are so important. They don't get the attention that the tackles get, but these guys make up more than 1/4 of your offensive personnel on the field at any given time, yet the casual fan almost completely overlooks them and considers them virtually interchangeable.

LSU has some issues at this position.

LSU has a veteran offensive line returning, with a 4th year starter, a 3rd year starter, and a 2nd year starter all here. The problem is that we will be replacing Herman Johnson and Brett Helms at left guard and center respectively. Those are two of the three interior line positions. We return Lyle Hitt, who has been a bit under the radar even though he is a 3-year starter. He was not placed on any of the All-SEC teams, and I excluded him (with reservation) from the list of top 10 players on the team.

Hitt is a guy who has been a starter since his sophomore year. He's just done it very quietly. He has been a steady, but unspectacular presence on the right side of the offensive line.

I would call your attention to the 2007 season when Hitt was joined on the right side by Carnell Stewart. Carnell certainly had some difficulties at right tackle, but when it was 3rd and short (or 4th and short) and we needed a first down, we would famously call Jacob Hester's number, but we would almost invariably call Hitt's and Stewart's as well, as we would call on Hester to run to the right side. Hitt and Stewart formed a dominant run-blocking pair on the right side, and Hitt is still there.

I am confident that Lyle Hitt will be a fine player at right guard, but what of the other positions? T-Bob Hebert was a member of the heralded 2007 recruiting class, and was a pretty big recruit out of Georgia where he had settled with his famous father after Bobby Hebert's NFL career ended. He redshirted as a freshman, when LSU had Helms and Ryan Miller on the 2-deep at center. Last year, he began the season as a backup center and played a lot of special teams and was a fullback at times in short yardage, but then he injured his knee covering a punt. He tore a ligament and was out for the season.

With Brett Helms moving on at the end of a fine career at LSU, T-Bob Hebert joined the battle to take over his starting spot in the Spring, despite still being much less than 100%, and not being able to take full contact in Spring Practice. Despite this, Hebert has apparently beaten out redshirt freshman P.J. Lonergan for the center position. Hebert is now listed at 301# and reportedly is stronger than he was before he injured his knee. That position battle is still ongoing, but expect Hebert to be the starter on September 5.

The new starter at left guard is Josh Dworaczyk. This is another member of the Class of 2007, which was one of the most celebrated recruiting classes in LSU history. That class is certainly growing into a big part of the core of this team, as 3 of the 5 starters on the offensive line will be from the 2007 class. Dworaczyk was a backup at this position last year, and when Herman Johnson went out with a minor injury against Bama, he plugged in for a series and acquitted himself admirably. He also played special teams, and a little at tight end. He took over the "blocking tight end" role that Joseph Barksdale had played the previous year, a position that allowed LSU to get a 6th offensive lineman on the field to block and got a young offensive lineman a little experience. He was, therefore, basically our first lineman off the bench last year.

In order for a team to excel, players can't just "hold their own." Some of your units have to be able to beat the units opposite them on the field. Lyle Hitt will have to emerge from his anonymity and be a force on the inside. Hebert and Dworaczyk won't have the luxury of playing like rookies for long, as we get Georgia less than 1 month into the season, and they have two future NFLers (and veterans at that) on the interior of their defensive line. Hitt/Hebert/Dworaczyk vs. Atkins/Owens may be the key matchup of that particular game.

Changes in Strategy, Changes in Talent (we hope)

Anything but Gatorade — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 23:00:10 -0000

"...and then I poked him RIGHT IN THE EYE." via cache.daylife.com

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I love Jimmy Buffett so I was going for the song thing in the title, but nothing rhymes with "strategy." Moving on...

Recruiting isn't really Tru's thing, I know, and it's not mine, either. I like to pretend that recruiting doesn't actually happen; that the kids that show up at Kirwan I every fall are there because they, you know, like it in Lexington or something. Having to consider what actually happens on the recruiting trail hurts my headspot too much, so I ignore it for the most part. That being said, one of the most profound things I took away from last week's Media Days event was a quote from Georgia defensive tackle Jeff Owens. Owens said (and I'm paraphrasing because Larry Vaught likes to copyright everything he writes) that the problem Kentucky's had with competing in the SEC East comes down to talent.

That's probably true, with some caveats. NFL types, especially scouts, seem to think that all it takes to create a successful college football team is to amass some talent and put it out there on the playing field. NFL types also think that it's acceptable to pay $8.00 for light beer at their games. Talent is very important of course, but to say that it's everything belies the importance of coaching said talent once it reaches said field. Going past the coaching edge, though, and you see why the Kentuckys and Vanderbilts of the SEC have struggled so mightily for so long: they can't get enough of the right kinds of players to fill out a roster.

Kentucky has some geographic and historical mountains to climb, but Coach Brooks recently addressed a sea change in the program's approach to college football's very lifeblood:

Kentucky has never put together great college football talent consistently like the Floridas, Georgias, South Carolinas, Alabamas and Texases of the world. This is a product of an administration that didn't care much about football, having a small state population relative to the rest of the schools in the conference, and the fact that most high school programs in the Commonwealth are working with next to nothing in their budgets with which to spend on football. Those last two factors are also some of the reasons Kentucky high school basketball is so much more important, but that's another post for another day. Adding in the fact that Kentucky, as the SEC's northernmost school, is almost in Big Ten country, and that negatively impacts the state's recruiting base even more. The only way many coaches in the past have dealt with this problem is to pick up a lot of junior college transfers with mediocre degrees of success.

Geographical and socio-economic reasons aside, Kentucky's fielded bad, bad, bad football teams for a lot of years. Sure, there are a few bowl games every decade to pin some pride on, but up until recently, success was...inconsistent. (That was hard to write, it's like saying "President Clinton's attitude toward marital fidelity was...inconsistent.") Kids who are good at stuff want to play with other kids who are also good at stuff. Beating up your sister is fun, but it's not something to be proud of; you want to beat up the kid that's just as big as you or even bigger. The analogy works with Kentucky football: offering talented kids a place to play immediately sounds great at first, but wouldn't you rather work and learn a little bit so you can get noticed by NFL scouts? That wasn't happening in Lexington until Andre Woodson emerged in 2007.

Fast forward two more years to today. If any of you follow my own site (and according to Google Analytics, you probably don't) you'll note that I keep track of Vanderbilt football, too. At this point in the year, Bobby Johnson has already obtained eighteen (18!!!) commitments from high school kids to play in Nashville in 2010. To look at the league as a whole, see hmyah (from Mr. SEC):

School	Total Commits	5-stars	4-stars	3-stars	2-stars	1- or 0-stars	Total Stars	Avg. Stars
LSU	20	0	12	6	0	2	68	3.4
Alabama	18	1	9	6	2	0	63	3.5
Georgia	18	0	8	9	0	1	60	3.3
Florida	16	1	11	3	0	1	59	3.7
Vandy	18	0	0	12	2	4	44	2.4
SCarolina	15	0	3	8	1	3	41	2.7
Auburn	13	0	2	9	0	2	37	2.8
Tennessee	12	0	2	7	0	3	32	2.7
Arkansas	8	0	1	5	1	1	22	2.8
Miss. St.	9	0	1	5	0	3	22	2.4
Kentucky	2	0	0	1	1	0	5	2.5
Ole Miss	2	0	0	1	0	1	4	2.0

Well look at that, Kentucky only has two commitments! And one's a kicker!! Well, we need a kicker, so that's okay. But to see the disparity between our Doormat Bowl compatriots and ourselves in terms of recruiting commitments thus far made me panic. So, I did what any other neurotic, possibly unbalanced Kentucky football fan would do, I asked Rob Gidel from KSR what the hell was going on. Oddly enough, he sent me an email back:

Great site (Ed. note: as if I didn't know that). Thanks for the question and for coming to the site. I cannot answer the 2010 question, because I really think at this point, it's always a crapshoot. Most of the kids that commit, commit on the whim. I've said from the beginning that UK was a leader for [Isaiah] Lewis (as early as last January). I'd be surprised if Michigan State was able to overcome the relationship that UK established from the beginning for him. He will decide soon. Outside of him, it's a crapshoot, as the tea leaves are always few and far between at this time of the year. I'd say, you can sound the alarm if UK goes past September with the same amount of commitments. Right now, it's not nearly as big of a deal as everyone is making it out to be. Things change so much in football recruiting and the biggest recruiting pitch is opportunity for UK. Kids cannot see opportunity from a pamplet. They have to get them on campus. Once they do and they see that the fans do take football seriously, things start to swing. In the past, the summer commitments have not nearly been as successful once they arrived on campus, so the lack of verbals at this point is not nearly as painful to take, in my opinion. We just need to be patient and remember that the biggest "gets" for this staff have all been late signees or winter commitments.

(Thanks for the help, Rob.) So that calmed me down a little bit. Then, on Sunday, I saw this gem of a quote from the OLD (Spurrier's not old enough to call himself old yet) Ball Coach himself:

"I think recruiting is going pretty well, better than it has in the past," Brooks said. "We may have had more commitments this time last year, but we also have to be a little more careful about who we get commitments from because we're into some guys that are maybe a little more high-profile."

HT: Chip Cosby on that. What this all means to me is that Kentucky is starting to at least try to get to the next level in recruiting blue chip talent. We Caliparians already know how important that is in basketball, and football isn't any different. What it seems that Kentucky is doing is trying to wait it out with some of the better recruiting targets on its radar rather than just snapping up whatever leftovers it can find like it's done in the past.

It's a gamble, but it is definitely one that I trust Rich Brooks to take. If this works, and Kentucky actually starts reeling in multiple classes of players that could just as easily start at Tennessee, Georgia or Alabama, the possibilities are astounding. I really don't want to get too worked up about it because, as a Kentucky football fan, I am no stranger to disappointment. But if the change in recruiting strategy serves to further improve the level of talent on the field at Commonwealth, I guarantee I'll be laughing maniacally for years to come.

Addition By Decimation: Georgia Makes Its Case at SEC Media Days

cocknfire — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 08:02:41 -0000

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His two best players left in the offseason. So why is this man smiling?

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Imagine you're a college football head coach who just lost 95.5 percent of his offense to the NFL Draft. Your response is:

(a) To enclose yourself in a dark room and weep for several days;
(b) To downplay expectations about the following year's results;
(c) To bid your former charges good riddance.

If you chose answer "c," you must be Georgia Bulldogs head coach Mark Richt.

I exaggerate a bit, of course. Richt never seemed to have anything but respect and admiration for former quarterback Matthew Stafford and former running back Knowshon Moreno. But he does seem awfully close to making the case that this Georgia team will be better -- because Stafford and Moreno are no longer there.

With those two players leading the offense, Richt said, "everybody expected us to win them all because we had these two guys that everbody considered stars, and maybe subconsciously our guys thought, 'We can count on these guys.' Now that they're gone, I think our team understands the only chance they have is to play together, work together, earn it as a team."

Not that he would likely mind having a couple of superstars back for a brutal opening month that includes at Oklahoma State, vs. South Carolina, at Arkansas and vs. Arizona State. Things get easier the following week, when ... LSU comes to town? To give you an idea of the first half of the schedule, Georgia faces just two teams that ended with sub-.500 records in 2008 -- Tennessee and Arizona State -- before November.

For whatever it might be worth, Richt's players are on board.

"The star of our team this year is our team," said defensive tackle Jeff Owens, whose early injury contributed to the Dawgs' failure to translate preseason buzz into a conference title. "A.J. Green stands out as a star. But this year, it's all about the 'team.' Everyone has to be a star to win and be successful."

Stafford's successor, Joe Cox, made it clear Thursday that he expects other players to help.

"The success of this team is not all on my shoulders," he said. "There are 10 other guys that get the job done as well. I won't carry the team. We'll work together."

That said, Richt believes that Cox is set to do his part.

"I don't think there's any player on this team that doesn't believe that Joe was ready last season," he said. "And the year before, if something were to happen to Matt, they knew Joe was ready to go."

Now, something has happened to Stafford -- he's moved on. Whether that will help Georgia's team perform better as a whole remains to be seen.

SEC Media Days live blog: the Georgia Bulldogs' Mark Richt

Joel — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 12:30:09 -0000

More photos » by John Raoux - AP

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Yes, we begin today with Mark Richt of the Georgia Bulldogs straightaway at 8:40. There will also be an opportunity to talk with quarterback Joe Cox and defensive tackle Jeff Owens.

As we did yesterday, I'll be leaving my instant impressions in the comment thread below so that you don't have to refresh your browser for new comments and so you can respond to any particular statement in a nice, orderly threaded fashion.

See ya below.

Up next is Nick Saban at 9:40.

SEC Media Days: conference issues credentials to two SB Nation bloggers

Joel — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 13:00:53 -0000

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Who let the bloggers in here?!

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SEC Football Media Days next Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday may not kick off the 2009 college football season, but it does serve as the first faint glimpse of the game on the horizon. Each year, hundreds of media members descend on Birmingham to interview coaches and players from every team in the SEC. Or to serve subpoenas. Whatever.

I'm especially pumped about the event this year because I'll be attending as one of those hundreds of media members. cocknfire from Team Speed Kills, who live-blogged the event while in attendance last year, is going again this year, and he and I hope to collaborate on some coverage for you. If you have any ideas, please let us know, and we'll do our best to make you proud.

Here's the schedule:

Wednesday, July 22
ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS (1:00 - 3:00 pm) Bobby Petrino DT Malcolm Sheppard TE D.J. Williams	VANDERBILT COMMODORES (1:00 - 3:00 pm) Bobby Johnson C Bradley Vierling CB Myron Lewis	MISSISSIPPI STATE BULLDOGS (3:00 - 5:00 pm) Dan Mullen OT Derek Sherrod LB K.J. Wright	KENTUCKY WILDCATS (3:00 - 5:00 pm) Rich Brooks OT Zipp Duncan CB Trevard Lindley

Thursday, July 23
ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE (8:30 - 10:30 am) Nick Saban OL Mike Johnson LB Rolando McClain	GEORGIA BULLDOGS (8:30 - 10:30 am) Mark Richt QB Joe Cox DT Jeff Owens	OLE MISS REBELS (10:30 am - 12:30 pm) Houston Nutt QB Jevan Snead DE Greg Hardy	FLORIDA GATORS (10:30 am - 12:30 pm) Urban Meyer QB Tim Tebow LB Brandon Spikes

Friday, July 24
AUBURN TIGERS (8:30 - 10:30 am) Gene Chizik TE Tommy Trott DE Antonio Coleman	SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS (8:30 - 10:30 am) Steve Spurrier WR Moe Brown LB Eric Norwood	LSU TIGERS (10:30 am - 12:30 pm) Les Miles OT Ciron Black LB Jacob Cutrera	TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS (10:30 am - 12:30 pm) Lane Kiffin SAF Eric Berry TB Montario Hardesty

As you can see, many of these are simultaneous sessions. Obviously, I'll devote the Friday 10:30 slot to the Big Orange, the Thursday 10:30 slot to the Gators, and Wednesday to Vanderbilt and Kentucky. But what about the Alabama/Georgia and Auburn/South Carolina dilemma? What do y'all think?