SB Nation - Tavarres King

LSU In Review - Week Five Vs. #18 Georgia

BSD — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 13:00:18 -0000

by John Bazemore - AP

2 months ago: LSU receiver Terrance Toliver (80) is stopped by Georgia's Bacarri Rambo during the second quarter of an NCAA college football game in Athens, Ga., Saturday, Oct. 3, 2009. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

View full size photo »

Final - 10.3.2009	1	2	3	4	Total
LSU Tigers	3	3	0	14	20
Georgia Bulldogs	0	0	0	13	13

Complete Coverage >

In week five the LSU Tigers traveled to Athens to take on the Georgia Bulldogs in a game that would go a long way toward sorting out the SEC race. LSU had not won between the hedges since 1987, and Les Miles had never beaten the Bulldogs who came into the game with a #18 ranking despite an opening day loss to Oklahoma State.

If you fell asleep right after kickoff and woke up midway through the fourth quarter, you didn't miss much in this game. It was basically more of the same from what we saw out of the Tigers the first four weeks of the season. The defense smothered their opponent for much of the game while the offense did just enough to get by. Then there was a flurry of activity at the end with LSU somehow pulling out a win.

Georgia went three-and-out in their first possession giving LSU the ball at their own 37. The Tigers drove down the field largley on the back of a 34 yard pass from Jordan Jefferson to Brandon LaFell. But on 3rd and 4 at the Georgia 9 yard line, Jefferson threw a pick in the endzone to kill the drive.

Georgia ran the interception out of the endzone and got tackled at the two yard line. They puckered up with their back to the endzone and ended up punting from the five. A 14 yard return by Trindon Holiday set up the Tigers with a first down at the Georgia 43 yard line. By the way, did you hear that Holiday won the NCAA 100 meter dash championship? I'm sure the Capital One Bowl announcers will only remind us of that every time he touches the ball just in case you forget.

LSU drove down the field to get a first and goal at the Bulldog 9. But Charles Scott got blown up on a screen pass on second down for a one yard loss. Then Jefferson sailed a pass over the head of Terrance Toliver and the Tigers were forced to kick a field goal.

On the ensuing possession, Georgia strung together a few first downs and managed to flip the field position, but they had to punt and LSU took over at their own 20. To spark the team a bit, Miles put in Russell Shepard at quarterback, and he gained 26 yards on the first three plays from the Wildcat. The drive ended at the Georgia 22 when Charles Scott got stuffed for a two yard loss on 3rd and 1. Perhaps showing a little sign of redzone desperation, Les Miles tried a trick play on fourth down where LaFell jogged toward the sideline like he was coming out of the game but then lined up in formation. A slight delay in placing the ball by the officials allowed Georgia to spot him and run a man out to defend him. LSU was forced to call timeout, and then kicked the field goal to take a 6-0 lead.

After another Georgia three-and-out, LSU took over at their own 26 and made another nice drive down to the Georgia redzone. But another gaffe would cost them points. Again showing frustration with the redzone problems, Miles elected to go for a first down on 4th and 1 at the Georgia 9. With the play clock running down, Jefferson decided to hurry the snap rather than call another timeout. The quarterback sneak failed, and Georgia took over on downs.

Though LSU completely dominated the first half, they had to be disappointed that the first half ended with them only up by six points.

In the second half it was the Georgia defense that came out determined to dominate. LSU's first possession went backwards as Jefferson was sacked on three straight plays. The Tigers were forced to punt from their own two yard line giving the Bulldogs the ball at the LSU 44 yard line. But Georgia would later miss a 32 yard field goal to cut the score in half. LSU's next possession went three-and-out, and the third quarter would later run out with the Tigers only running six offensive plays.

Georgia took the ball at their own 40 yard line and finally got some mojo. An 18 play drive that consumed nearly eight minutes off the clock ended when Joe Cox found Shaun Chapas for a touchdown pass on 4th and goal at the 1. The Bulldogs took their first lead of the game at 7-6 just as the fourth quarter began.

Both teams traded punts over the next four possessions, and then LSU began a drive at their own 12 yard line and went the length of the field in 12 plays. The drive ended when Scott smashed through the line for a 2 yard touchdown. A two point conversion attempt failed when Jefferson was sacked, and LSU took a 12-7 lead with 2:53 to go in the game.

Georgia responded with a drive of their own. An LSU defensive breakdown allowed a 46 yard pass to Tavarres King to get the Bulldogs in the redzone. Then Cox found A.J. Green who leaped over a defender to make a catch in the endzone. Georgia failed on their own two point conversion when LSU broke up a slant pass, so the Bulldogs took a 13-12 lead with just over one minute to go.

But Georgia shot themselves in the foot with an unsportsmanlike conduct that forced them to kick off from their 15. Holiday returned the kick 40 yards, and another Georgia penalty tacked on another five yards to give LSU the ball at the Georgia 38. Two plays later Scott slashed through the line and took it to the house for a 33 yard touchdown. Then in what appears to be typical SEC tradition, LSU drew an unsportsmanlike conduct making them kick off from the 15. But Georgia's final drive ended with an interception by Perry Riley, and LSU escaped with another ugly win.

It was another game where LSU dominated defensively but couldn't put their opponent away. They outgained the Bulldogs 368-274 in total yards and 154-45 on the ground. Jefferson finished the day 18-of-27 for 212 yards, but he was intercepted once and gave up six sacks, many of which were from him holding the ball too long. Charles Scott was the offensive hero on the day with 95 yards and 2 TD on 19 carries. But remember that 33 of those yards came on the winning touchdown. The two quarterbacks combined for 56 yards on 22 carries for the rest of the yards LSU gained on the ground.

Drive Chart

FULL SCREEN VERSION

Quotes From The Game

"I think our guys wanted to rush the football and certainly prepared last week to do so. I think it’s hard work. I think it’s attitude. I think it’s something that this team pointed at and achieved."

- Les Miles -

"I think our offense has confidence in Charles Scott. I think our offense has confidence in the ability to run the football. We just needed to do it and put it together. I think that’s a piece that we can’t lose. We can’t lose sight of it, and it must continue to grow, but I don’t know that Charles needed that. I can tell you that his team needed him to have that day."

- Les Miles -

"I would like to get some production in the sack area. I like, again, the position that our defense puts our team in and the opportunity to win a game on the road at Georgia. For me to say I need more sacks, I like the pressure that was put on. I like the opportunity to get turnovers. I like the opportunity to stop the rushing game. I thought our defense played well. Yes, I would like to have some more sacks but not at the cost of overall production."

- Les Miles -

"Part of me is tempted to say that Jordan Jefferson had a weak game. He certainly made some critical mistakes, and continues to struggle running the option. He just does not run it authoritatively. He gets too far into the backfield, and too close to the pitch man, making it easy for one defender to cover both him and the pitch, which defeats the whole purpose of the option. In the passing game, he would hold the ball too long, and would end up getting sacked when he could have thrown the ball to an open receiver or at least thrown the ball away to avoid a big loss."

-And The Valley Shook-

A Football Preview: Cornered Mongrel Edition

BirdGT — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 13:00:14 -0000

First, let's start by understanding the history of this rivalry. Read this article on wikipedia. I find it particularly interesting that the worst acts ever committed in the rivalry were by Georgie fans yet they claim they don't care about the rivalry. We belittle them in our fight songs but they question our patriotism in parades, throw rocks at our football team, and stab our mascots. There's a difference between supporting a good, old fashioned rivalry and poor behavior. Historically, Georgie loves to cross the line.

So let's look at some numbers from history that pertain to this coming Thanksgiving game:

1. When Georgie loses the week before Tech, they are 19-19-2 all time against Tech.
2. When Georgie loses to Kentucky in the regular season, they are 5-5-1 all time against Tech.
3. When Georgie travels to Atlanta, they are 30-23-4 all time against Tech.
4. When Georgie has a worse winning percentage than Tech in the regular season, they are 7-30-3 all time against Tech.
5. Combining all of the conditions, Georgie is 0-3 in seasons where they've lost to Kentucky, had a worse record than Tech, and traveled to Atlanta. Those seasons were 1947, 1949, and 1977.

Why has Georgie lost 5 games?
I'd say most Georgie fans would say that Georgia cannot hold on to the football. Looking into their turnover margin indicates a pretty desolate group of statistics. In I-A losses, the bulldogs had a -2.6 turnovers/game. In I-A victories, it was only -0.8 turnovers/game. So the bulldogs are making a lot of mistakes in winning and losing efforts.

Another talking point for bulldoggies is the play of their quarterback, Joe Cox. However, I'm not really buying the hate. Joe Cox is the second-best rated QB in SEC games this season just behind Chris Leak's backup. Bulldog fans came into this season knowing that Joe Cox was a career backup thrust into the limelight due to an early departure. They shouldn't have been expecting the second coming of Eric Zeier. Mark Richt can only recruit for what he does and doesn't have. You can't tell high school kids, "Oh that Matt Stafford will be gone by junior year." Sorry, that's not how it works.

The lack of a legitimate running back has limited Georgie big time. Their rushing attack is sporadic at best averaging 139 yards in I-A wins and 109 yards in I-A losses.

A look at the division of carries based on down and distance shows that UGA really doesn't have a primary back. Different guys have played in different games. There's a little more confidence in Ealey concerning play calling as he's getting more first down carries but for the most part plays are called the same no matter the guy in the backfield. To me, that means there's no game breaker back there if Richt and company haven't settled on a solid running back.

And honestly, putting all of the blame on a particular SA's shoulders is pretty lame. I'm a Blame-Pat-Nix-man so whenever my team's offense struggles, I blame the person directly responsible for game preparation, quarterback coaching, and overall offensive philosophy.

The Bobo Effect
I wanna attack Bobo's play calling like I broke down CPJ's earlier (I, II, & III). Due to limited time, this'll be slightly truncated.

If you look at Georgie's playcalling on the season, it's like a 10 year old losing in a video game. There's frustration when little yardage is gained on first and second down and the run is completely abandoned on 3rd down. Georgie passes 74% of the time on 3rd down. People call us unbalanced. At least we have an offensive identity. Bobo's idea of play calling is simple: run fail, run fail, pass, repeat.

The interesting thing about Paul Johnson's offense is that the offense is simply meant to gain yardage. If a defensive player misses a tackle, it's a touchdown. In passing offenses similar to Bobo's, plays are designed to achieve a certain amount of yardage thus limiting your play makers. A "pro-style" offense limits your playbook based on yardage and personnel. Hence, we see interesting trends in Bobo's pass play calls:

Looks are pass attempts to a certain player either completed, incomplete, or dropped (all kept by uga game stat keepers, blame them for mistakes). I was kinda amazed at the relatively low numbers for A.J. Green. It seems he's only really getting the ball on 1st down or in short yardage situations. I guess it makes sense that uga goes to A.J. or Orson Charles for those short yardage plays. I guess I just find fault in not utilizing your ONLY good offensive player more. Here's some perspective - Calvin Johnson caught 42% of GT's 2006 completed passes while A.J. Green has only caught 28% of uga's this season. The talent level disparity from 2006 Calvin to James Johnson is not that much different from A.J. Green to Michael Moore or Tavarres King this season.

Note (11/27 1:15 pm): FTRS reader Howell asked to see a breakdown of the progression of carries that the main running backs of georgie have received YTD. Well, Howell. Ask and you shall receive! It seems with Samuel's absence, both King and Ealey have seemed to have been told to pick up the slack.

Conclusion
I think GT will struggle against Georgia's passing offense but hopefully some Joe Cox misfires and sacks will keep GT's rushing attack consistently on the field burning clock. I'm worried about this being an FSU-type affair. Hopefully, Dave Wommack realizes people are really scrutinizing his defense these next couple of weeks. That means do your homework. Learn your opponents' tendencies, plays, etc.. Focus your defense. Now is not the time to give up 250-300 yards passing. Our common opponent, Vanderbilt, ran it up and down on us yet Georgie's lamented D handled them. Wommack, it's on you to stop Georgie.

Predictions

Bird: The combined scores from point #5 for those three wins are my prediction of Tech 30, uga 13.
Winfield: It is time to tell the mutts that we are in control. Make them piss themselves and make them leave Bobby Dodd early because of our celebrating. To Hell with Georgia. It's time to wipe them off the face of the Earth. 54-10 Jackets. TO HELL WITH GEORGIA!
Dane: We spot them a few, for a grand finale of 31-10.

Bulldogs vs Yellow Jackets coverage

Kentucky Wildcats 34, Georgia Bulldogs 27: Chicken Little Was an Optimist

T Kyle King — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 20:42:50 -0000

Two weeks ago, my son was under the weather. Last week, my daughter caught what had ailed her big brother. This week, I took ill, and I felt worse and worse throughout the day on Saturday, leading me ultimately to the conclusion that I should eschew the season’s final home game and watch the clash in the comfort of my living room. Needless to say, that was a good decision, despite the fact that it forced me to listen to Bob Davie’s insipid commentary, in which he actually said, "We’ll get back to the game in a second" as a play got underway.

What is there to say about last evening’s sorry display between the hedges? In a night game at home, the Georgia Bulldogs held a two-touchdown halftime lead on the athletically overmatched and injury-riddled Kentucky Wildcats, who had not won in Sanford Stadium in more than three decades. The Red and Black should have won in a walk. Instead, the Classic City Canines failed in every phase of the game after intermission, repeating a litany of errors that has become so commonplace as to be comical in the course of losing a game that should have been put out of reach on the Bulldogs’ first possession of the second half.

Statistically, Kentucky never should have been in this game. The Bulldogs outperformed the Wildcats in passing yards (291-137), rushing yards (196-123), first downs (22-15), and time of possession (33:13-26:47). That ought to be a recipe for success, particularly for a team that has home field advantage on its side. The usual suspects reared their ugly heads, however, as two interceptions, two lost fumbles, and five fifteen-yard penalties, almost all of them at the most inopportune times imaginable, doomed the ‘Dawgs.

(Incidentally, while this game certainly cannot be blamed on the officiating, an out-of-place umpire greatly aided on one Wildcat score and the conspiracy theorists were given additional grist for their mill on Randall Cobb’s third-quarter touchdown, which did not draw an unsportsmanlike conduct flag despite his having noticeably and needlessly altered his stride en route to the end zone. Does anyone doubt that a Georgia player who did exactly the same thing would be penalized?)

Virtually every number indicates a Georgia victory. Joe Cox threw for 291 yards and three touchdowns. Washaun Ealey and Caleb King amassed 77 yards apiece, with each doing so on fewer than twenty carries. Tavarres King rose up in the absence of A.J. Green to make three catches for 109 yards, while Orson Charles and Rantavious Wooten both caught touchdown passes.

It was as though the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets---who had the week off, and who most assuredly were watching last night’s game unfold---had their voodoo dolls handy and asked themselves, "What is the most painful way we can cause the ‘Dawgs to lose?" They could not have done much better than giving Georgia a two-touchdown halftime lead, beginning a Keystone Kops-like second half with a fumble on the opening kickoff, and letting the contest unravel gradually with a game-tying 60-yard pass to Derrick Locke on which the Kentucky tailback zipped past several flailing would-be tacklers and scampered to paydirt with nary a Georgia defender near him, a ten-play Georgia drive covering 67 yards and nearly five minutes that ended in a fumble at the Wildcats’ one yard line, and a first-down interception on the Bulldogs’ last desperate possession.

The Classic City Canines were outscored 28-7 after intermission by a team that hadn’t scored more than 26 total points in any previous conference outing. The 34 points conceded to the Blue and White by Georgia put the Bulldogs in the same category with Louisville (which gave up 31 points to Kentucky), Louisiana-Monroe (36), and Eastern Kentucky (37). This is the state of Red and Black football.

This isn’t the worst season in Georgia gridiron history; it isn’t even the worst of my lifetime, or of my conscious remembrance. However, the ‘Dawgs could equal the seven losses sustained by the Red and Black in the disastrous 1990 campaign and no one who is not a partisan homer would suggest that the Bulldogs have any chance of avoiding embarrassment (much less of winning) next Saturday night at historic Grant Field. Our team is going to limp into the postseason at 6-6 to play in a meaningless game that has the potential to do as much psychological harm as physical good.

The last sixteen games, during which the ‘Dawgs have gone 9-7 and conceded 34 or more points eight times, have set this program back fifteen years. Our team hasn’t played four consecutive quarters of solid football in all three phases of the game since January 1, 2008. In the last four years, Georgia has gone 2-2 against Kentucky. We are where we were in the mid-1990s and we face a massive rebuilding job, one which will require replacing at least some of the contractors and masons currently assigned to the task.

In short, the loud thump heard in Athens last night was either the sound of the bottom falling out of Georgia football or the sound of Uga VII rolling over in his grave.

Go ‘Dawgs!

Kentucky @ Georgia: Abbreviated Look at the Dogs

Ken Howlett — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:45:16 -0000

More photos » by Wily Low - AP

Will UK fans tear down the goal posts on an opponent's field?

Browse more photos »

UK (6-4, 2-4 SEC), coming off a victory at Vanderbilt which secured the 'Cats' bowl eligibility, tackles the 6-4 (4-3 SEC) Georgia Bulldogs in Athens, Georgia tonight at 7:45 EST. Kentucky, hoping to improve the chances of playing a bowl game outside the state of Tennessee, haven't beaten the Bulldogs in Athens since 1977, a 33-0 'Cat-washing of the pre-Hershel Walker Bulldogs.

If UK clinches a winning season tonight, this is who they must execute the coup-de-tat against ... after the jump:

Joe Cox -- 6'1", 198 lb senior quarterback: Cox is 150-259 through the air, good for 2,059 yards, 12 interceptions and 18 touchdowns.

Caleb King -- 5'11", 210 lb redshirt sophomore running back: King, who only recently earned the starting spot at running back has rushed for 291 yards on 62 carries (4.7 yards per carry) and three touchdowns.

Washaun Ealey -- 5'11", 205 lb freshman running back: The true freshman has rushed 73 times for 379 yards (5.2 ypc) and three touchdowns. He also caught two passes for 26 yards (13.0 yards per reception).

Richard Samuel -- 6'2", 222 lb sophomore running back: Samuel has rushed 88 times for 395 yards (4.5 ypc) and two touchdowns. He's also caught six passes for 39 yards (6.5 ypr).

Tavarres King -- 6'1", 180 redshirt sophomore wide receiver: King is listed as No.1 on the depth chart at the receiver spot for Georgia even though he has made only 15 catches for 268 yards (17.9 ypr). He's scored one touchdown.

Aron White -- 6'4", 236 lb redshirt sophomore tight end: White has made nine catches for 151 yards (16.8 ypr), good for two touchdowns.

Michael Moore -- 6'2", 210 lb senior wide receiver: Moore is Georgia's leading receiver with A. J. Green out for the contest. Moore has caught 21 passes for 187 yards (8.9 ypr) and four touchdowns.

Orson Charles -- 6'3", 230 lb freshman tight end: Charles has made 16 catches for 284 yards (17.8 pr) and two touchdowns. Charles, along with fellow tight end Aron White will be utilized heavily in passing downs.

Prince Miller -- 5'8", 198 lb senior punt returner: Miller is one of he SEC's leading returners, averaging 12.1 yards per return on 17 punts.

Drew Butler -- Georgia's punter is one of the leading punters in the nation, averaging 49.0 yards per punt (45 punts).

There, folks, you have the high-points.

Thanks for reading, and Go 'Cats!

Georgia Bulldogs 31, Auburn Tigers 24

T Kyle King — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 02:30:06 -0000

Games between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Auburn Tigers are not always close---see 2004 and 2007---but, historically, this has been a series hallmarked by tight ballgames, as befits a rivalry as ancient and storied as this one. Of the 113 clashes between these two teams, 49 have been decided by seven or fewer points. On average, more than two out of every five meetings between the Bulldogs and the Plainsmen have been nailbiters. So it was in Sanford Stadium last night.

Georgia recorded eighteen first downs and Auburn recorded eighteen first downs. Georgia converted five third downs and Auburn converted five third downs, which is baffling to me, since it seemed like the Tigers converted at least a dozen third-and-longs. Georgia ran the ball 38 times and Auburn ran the ball 38 times. Georgia tallied 342 yards of total offense, a mere 33 feet shy of the mark attained by Auburn. Had the Tigers held the pigskin for 47 fewer seconds, the time of possession would have been exactly even, which is remarkable, given the decided advantage the Plainsmen held in the early going. Despite the similar endings of the respective contests, this game, unlike the South Carolina game, was every bit as close as the score indicated.

It didn’t look that way from the get-go, though. Half an hour before kickoff, I entered Sanford Stadium accompanied by an overwhelming sense of dread, assured of the doom that awaited the ‘Dawgs, and nothing I saw in the opening period disabused me of my dour preconceptions. Auburn opened the game with a nine-play, 74-yard drive that ended in a touchdown. Georgia responded by going three and out on an opening drive that lost four yards and included a Bulldog false start penalty. The Plainsmen proceeded to go 82 yards in eleven snaps to take a 14-0 lead and the Red and Black answered by picking up two yards in three plays before punting. In short, it was exactly the contest I anticipated it would be. After fifteen minutes of clock time had elapsed, the hedges were in jeopardy and the Tiger faithful were getting ready to party like it was 1999.

Joe Cox looked like Joe Cox at his worst . . . which is to say, he looked like Brandon Cox. Potentially big plays came up just short and the Bulldogs’ increasingly predictable menu of sweeps and screens routinely failed to gain. Willie Martinez’s defense played the way we have come to expect it to play. Seemingly one play out of every three went well for the Georgia D until the inevitable completion to the open receiver behind the linebackers and in front of the safeties. My 56-7 prediction wasn’t looking quite so outlandish as the second period got underway.

When we looked up at the scoreboard as the first half unfolded, we saw few statistics from which to take heart, but there were a couple for those among the Bulldog faithful who were willing to squint and search for them. Georgia had incurred fewer penalties and had shown at least a modicum of discipline, as when the defender very deliberately turned loose of the Auburn ballcarrier he had ridden out of bounds before drawing a flag for administering a late hit. The ‘Dawgs hadn’t moved the ball, but they hadn’t turned it over, either. It was, as my uncle has been known to remark, bad, but it wasn’t so bad.

Then Cox connected with Israel Troupe on a 50-yard touchdown pass to put Georgia on the board and allow the Classic City Canines to go to the locker room at halftime down by a single score. A 51-yard Blair Walsh field goal cut the deficit to four points and Washaun Ealey capped off a four-and-a-half-minute drive spanning 82 yards in eight plays with a one-yard touchdown run to give the Bulldogs the lead. Son of a gun, we were in this thing! It had taken a decidedly lucky bounce on a would-be interception that turned into an Orson Charles reception, but the Bulldogs were out in front in a game that had appeared as though it might get out of hand.

Auburn wasn’t done, of course; the Tigers’ turnaround has been too genuine, and the spirit of the rivalry is too strong, for us ever to expect the Plainsmen to curl up into the fetal position at the first sign of adversity. A doinked field goal by Wes Byrum---whom Orson Swindle had told me at Tent City earlier in the evening that he would run down with his automobile if given the opportunity---sent the contest to the final quarter tied at 17.

Tavarres King redeemed his earlier drop of what ought to have been a touchdown pass by snagging a 47-yard reception on the first snap of the fourth stanza. One play later, Caleb King was in the end zone and the hometown heroes had retaken the lead. The Georgia edge lasted only as long as it took Demond Washington to take a pretty decent kickoff at the one yard line and weave 99 yards downfield for the tying touchdown.

The Bulldogs got the ball back and punted. The Plainsmen took possession and Reshad Jones intercepted a Chris Todd pass. A personal foul penalty against---wait for it---a team other than Georgia set up the Red and Black inside the Auburn 40 yard line. Three Ealey carries gave the ‘Dawgs a first down inside the 25 and Caleb King covered the remaining ground for a touchdown.

Once again, the Tigers refused to run and hide. Auburn held the ball for the next fourteen plays, running almost six minutes off the clock while marching 40 yards downfield. The Plainsmen picked up five first downs in the course of the drive, the last of which came on a fourth-down conversion that carried the visitors to the Georgia 22 yard line.

On first down, Ben Tate was halted for a one-yard loss. On second down, an electrified Sanford Stadium was given a severe scare when Bacarri Rambo went down after delivering the touchdown-saving hit that separated the intended receiver from the football. There were two more downs to be played, but, truthfully, the game was over when Rambo, strapped immobile to a backboard and lifted onto the cart upon which he would be whisked away to receive medical attention, raised his right arm and gave the crowd the thumbs up that signaled to us that he would be all right. There would be no 2005-like fourth-down heroics by the Tigers this night.

Inevitably, the Alabamians moved backwards. Cornelius Washington dropped Todd for a seven-yard loss on third down. Back-to-back Auburn time outs could not stop the roaring crowd from inducing perhaps the most flagrant false start in the history of college football. Todd’s final desperate toss on fourth and 23 fell incomplete, and all that was left was what my father calls "the prettiest play in football": your quarterback taking a knee to bleed the final seconds from the game clock.

I have yelled that loudly for that long, cheered that lustily and that elatedly, and applauded that strongly and that sincerely, in Sanford Stadium more than once before, but it’s been a while---actually, it’s been exactly two years, since the last time our guys beat these guys in this venue, in a game that yielded a victory only slightly more stirring than this one---and, despite what my head shrewdly tells me, there was no convincing my heart in that moment that there has ever been anything wrong with being a Georgia Bulldog that beating the Auburn Tigers couldn’t fix.

Oh, I know this doesn’t cure all our ills; a loss at historic Grant Field in two weeks appears all but certain, and a victory over the Kentucky Wildcats is far from a sure thing with Rambo and fellow injury victim A.J. Green sidelined for the duration. Nevertheless, for all the faults that fairly might be found with the Bulldogs’ performance between the hedges last night, I defy anyone to deny the truth of this statement: Georgia’s win over Auburn last night marked the best all-around performance by a Red and Black team since the win over Hawaii in the 2008 Sugar Bowl.

The foregoing statement probably is more of an indictment of the 22 games that preceded last night’s triumph than a praise of this latest Bulldog victory, but, at this point, I’ll take it, warts (which admittedly and undeniably were there) and all. Maybe it was a "dead cat bounce" and maybe it was the start of a 2006-like stretch run, but, either way, it was a fourth straight win over our oldest and biggest rival for the first time in my lifetime, and that, in my book, is cause for celebration, no matter what the occasion.

After the game, I went into the Tate Center to use the facilities---in the course of a tense game against a major rival, I become so focused that I essentially experience a cessation of all bodily functions, so I tend to come down from the rarefied air of game day by exiting the stadium and realizing, "I have to go to the bathroom and get something to eat, stat!"---and I found myself in line behind an Auburn fan. Since we both were standing there, I thought the civilized thing to do would be to extend my hand and say, "Good game," so I did.

He looked at me out of the corner of his eye and sarcastically snorted, "Yeah, ‘good game.’" He refused to shake my hand. I didn’t say another word to him; he took care of his business at his urinal and I took care of my business at mine, but it was a satisfying exchange that confirmed the basic correctness of my prejudices against his kind and reminded me why this rivalry matters, why this victory matters, and why I hate Auburn.

Go ‘Dawgs! Auburna delenda est!

Too Much Information: Georgia Bulldogs v. LSU Tigers

T Kyle King — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 01:46:15 -0000

Let me own up to this right now: I have no idea what’s going to happen tomorrow. That’s all right, though, because neither does Doug Gillett, neither does Senator Blutarsky, neither do Louisiana State fans, and neither do you. Paul Westerdawg seems to have something at least resembling a clue, but, really, the only guy who truly appears to have a handle on the whole thing is, of course, Matt Hinton.

To that I am able to add only incrementally, if at all, but I will do my best to load you up not with a sensible portion of data, nor with a reasonably-sized slice of insight, but, rather, with Too Much Information. Here we go:

Odds and Ends

This is a strange series. The Georgia Bulldogs and the LSU Tigers have met just 27 times, with four of those 27 meetings coming in only two seasons (twice in 1943 and twice in 2003), yet there is significance to this budding rivalry. In effect, a showdown between these two teams was a central event in Robert Penn Warren’s All the King’s Men, and, as recently as three years ago, before the resurgence of the Alabama Crimson Tide under Nick Saban and of the Florida Gators under Urban Meyer, it appeared that Georgia and Louisiana State would be the dominant powers in the league. That has not come to pass as expected, but neither has it missed happening by much.

The Bulldogs have won three straight from the Bayou Bengals and have taken six of the last eight series meetings. The Red and Black are 12-7-1 against LSU in the last 20 tilts between these two teams.

The most maddening fact about each of these clubs is that both squads offset positive performances on one side of the ball with weak production on the other side. Consider the ways in which a strong Georgia offense is being undermined by a weak Georgia defense:

Statistical Category	Georgia	Opponents
Points Per Game	30.8	29.8
1st Downs on Pass Plays	40	41
Rushing Yards	449	451
Rushing Attempts	126	128
Yards Per Rush	3.6	3.5
Rush Yards Per Game	112.2	112.8
Passing Yards Per Game	245.0	243.0
Passing Touchdowns	9	10
Total Offensive Yards	1,429	1,423
Yards Per Game	357.2	355.8

Now consider the ways in which a strong LSU defense is being undermined by a weak LSU offense:

Statistical Category	LSU	Opponents
First Downs	74	76
1st Downs on Running Plays	33	37
1st Downs on Pass Plays	34	34
Rushing Yards Gained	636	636
Yards Per Rush	3.8	3.5
Rushing Touchdowns	3	3
Yards Per Catch	11.2	11.4
3rd Down Conversion Rate	44%	42%

When not occupied with offsetting themselves, both teams are busy offsetting one another. Georgia has scored 14 touchdowns; Louisiana State has scored 14 touchdowns. Georgia has scored four rushing touchdowns; LSU has scored three rushing touchdowns. Georgia’s defense allows 3.5 yards per rush; LSU’s defense allows 3.5 yards per rush. Georgia has registered five sacks for 35 yards; LSU has registered five sacks for 34 yards. Georgia has allowed 16 points in the second quarter; LSU has allowed 16 points in the second quarter. Georgia has scored 25 points in the third quarter; LSU has scored 24 points in the third quarter.

Ten years ago today, a good (and very nearly former) friend of mine, John Hope, got married. I know that because he asked me to be in his wedding (which did not take place near Athens) before telling me that it coincided with the Georgia-LSU game in Sanford Stadium on October 2, 1999, a date which marked the sixth anniversary of the last time I had missed a Bulldog home game. The ‘Dawgs wore white pants and won. My feelings on weddings that conflict with Georgia football games are well-documented.

I have often wondered whether the 2003 SEC Championship Game was for Mark Richt what the 1966 World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party was for Steve Spurrier. The Bulldogs’ first 13 losses of the Mark Richt era were by margins of five, 14, seven, four, seven, seven, three, 21, five, 18, four, one, and three points, respectively. The beatdown in the Georgia Dome from a Louisiana State squad bound for a national championship stands out, and, since that whipping was administered, the Classic City Canines have handed the Bayou Bengals setbacks by margins of 45-16 in Athens, 34-14 in Atlanta, and 52-38 in Baton Rouge.

Believe it or not, the Bulldogs have gained more first downs on penalties (9) than they have surrendered first downs on penalties (8). We focus on the fact that Georgia is the SEC’s second-most penalized team while forgetting that the Red and Black pick up by far the most yards on opponents’ penalties (94.5 yards per game).

The Classic City Canines have outscored the opposition by four points in the first quarter (45-41) and by zero points in the fourth quarter (19-19). Georgia holds an 18-point lead in the second stanza (34-16) but is at an 18-point deficit in the first 15 minutes following intermission (43-25). The Bayou Bengals are at their best defensively in the third period.

How important is A.J. Green to the Georgia offense? The sensational sophomore averages 107.0 receiving yards per game. Orson Charles, Tavarres King, and Michael Moore combined average 96.2 receiving yards per game. As goes A.J., so go the ‘Dawgs.

The Red and Black have run four fewer plays than the Fighting Tigers, but Georgia averages almost a full yard per play more than Louisiana State.

No team in the SEC has allowed fewer rushing touchdowns than the Bulldogs (1). No team in the SEC has allowed more touchdown passes than Georgia (10). No team in the SEC has allowed more first downs on running plays than LSU (37)

The Red and Black are 3-1 over Louisiana State in seasons in which the Athenians defeat the Arkansas Razorbacks.

The ‘Dawgs are the league’s third-worst team in kickoff coverage. The Tigers are the league’s worst team in kickoff returns. The ‘Dawgs field the conference’s best red zone offense. The Tigers field the conference’s second-best red zone defense.

Louisiana State gives up only 15.2 points per game, a little over half of the 29.8 allowed by Georgia. However, 49 of the 61 points the Bayou Bengals have surrendered have been scored in games played away from Baton Rouge, both of which were nailbiters against teams that do not appear to be as good as the Bulldogs.

The Feel Good Stat of the Week

Against the SEC West, Mark Richt is 22-6 overall, 20-5 in the regular season, and 9-3 at home. The Bulldogs’ last home game against a Western Division opponent came in last year’s debacle against ‘Bama. Georgia has not lost two straight home games against SEC West foes in the Mark Richt era.

The Bottom Line

Danged if I know. Given LSU’s penchant for takeaways (first in the SEC in turnover margin), this could be the week that Georgia’s tendency towards giveaways (last in the SEC in turnover margin) catches up with the Red and Black. On the other hand, given LSU’s poor showing while in possession of the pigskin (last in the SEC in total offense), it could come down to a battle of field position and the player of the game could be Drew Butler (leading punter in the league).

We just have no idea . . . but, since even confirmed Georgia-hater Mark May picked us at halftime of tonight’s Big East game, surely we have a chance.

My Prediction: Georgia 24, LSU 23.

Go ‘Dawgs!

Georgia Bulldogs 52, Arkansas Razorbacks 41

T Kyle King — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 02:24:05 -0000

I know I am arriving a little late to the party---ESPN and the Griffin District of the United Methodist Church did not get their schedules straight when the former lined up three straight night games for the Georgia Bulldogs on the very same weekends on which the latter arranged for me to attend my lay speaking recertification course for four hours every Sunday---but I appreciate the way everyone has kept the conversation going in the comments and in the fanposts.

Permit me to add a few observations, but please bear in mind that I haven’t had the time to check out any other weblogs or the game day open comment thread, so some of what follows may be repetitive, or redundant, or repetitive:

As the first quarter came to an end, I was very nearly ready to flush the 2009 season and get the guy most likely to start under center next autumn out onto the field to get some playing experience. Needless to say, Joe Cox answered any remaining doubts about his competence in the remaining three quarters. He hooked up on 18 of 26 attempts for 375 yards, a record-tying five touchdowns, and one interception. Although undeniably aided by the amazing abilities of A.J. Green (seven catches for 137 yards and two scores), Cox did a much better job of hitting his receivers in stride. This may be damning him with faint praise, but Cox didn’t throw long and incomplete any more often than Matthew Stafford would have.

I was a bit surprised at how surprised everyone seemed to be at the supposed "emergence" of Michael Moore. When was Michael Moore not clearly the Bulldogs’ second-best receiver following the departure of Mohamed Massaquoi? Why did everyone seem so shocked that Moore caught six passes for 91 yards against the Arkansas Razorbacks when he ended last season by catching six passes for 97 yards against the Michigan St. Spartans in last year’s Capital One Bowl? Who didn’t know already the dude was good?

I have always admired Mark Richt’s willingness to give a player an immediate shot at redemption after he makes a mistake. After Branden Smith’s gaffe in the return game against South Carolina, he was given the opportunity to make up for his miscue on the reverse. Coach Richt’s charges respond well to his confidence in them and usually make the most of their second chances. Tavarres King had a couple of potentially game-changing mistakes in Fayetteville, which were addressed by giving him the chance to haul in a 50-yard touchdown pass. He made good on that opportunity. Kudos to the coaches for letting the young man atone for his error and kudos to King for justifying his coaches’ faith in him.

Lisa Loeb. Tina Fey. Sarah Palin. Now Erin Andrews. I don’t know what it is about librarian-style glasses on good-looking women, but, holy smoking barbecue in a wire basket, that’s a look that works for me. Yowzers!

Although his play-calling sometimes seems strangely streaky, Mike Bobo is better at his job than he generally is given credit for being, and he managed a surprisingly balanced ballgame. The ‘Dawgs ran the ball 36 times and threw the ball 26 times. That demonstrates an admirable commitment to the ground game on a night when your quarterback is hitting almost 70 per cent of his passes. Three Bulldogs averaged four or more yards per carry, Richard Samuel rushed for 104 yards on 16 attempts, and Georgia scored on an 80-yard touchdown run. When that happens at the same time your signal caller is airing it out for a career night, you’re sticking with the running game.

The Bulldogs’ growing pains this year will pay big dividends next year. Ere anyone criticizes Brandon Boykin for a few miscues in the secondary, I have two words for you: Bruce Thornton. In his first year in the defensive backfield, he looked hopelessly lost and was picked on mercilessly by opposing quarterbacks. By the final year of his varsity career, Thornton was as good a defensive back as the Bulldogs had. Boykin shows great promise, on which he will deliver. Be patient.

As hopeful as I am for the future, though, I am worried that we’re going to go through this whole thing all over again a year from now if no quarterback other than Cox gets to run the offense for at least a couple or three series per game. As matters presently stand, Cox’s successor is going to come into the job in 2010 with less live game experience than Cox had coming into 2009, which is nothing short of downright scary.

There was a lot to like out of the Georgia offense last night. The ‘Dawgs answered the Hogs score for score, hung half a hundred on an opponent for the first time since last year’s LSU game, and did it without needing a special teams or defensive score to boost the stats. The Red and Black’s nine scoring drives covered 57, 26, 85, 75, 34, 65, 62, 73, and 17 yards, respectively. Other than the first-quarter drive following the Ryan Mallett fumble and the fourth-quarter game-clincher after the poor punt from the home team’s two yard line, the ‘Dawgs were moving the ball well over long distances.

The defense gave up a pair of one-play drives in the first quarter. A 50-yard Cobi Hamilton kickoff return set up a 48-yard touchdown pass to Jarius Wright and Samuel’s fumble was followed by a 30-yard touchdown pass to Greg Childs. I realize that the special teams and the offense put the defense in bad situations in those instances, but the Bulldogs have to do better on potentially momentum-changing drives. No single aspect of this game makes me more fearful for the future than this indication that the Classic City Canines’ inability to adapt to sudden changes in circumstances is one of the ugly holdovers from last year’s meltdown.

Georgia returned the ball well and kicked field goals well. The Bulldogs turned the ball over too often and drew too many penalties. This is a recording.

I truly have no clue what to make of our defense. Georgia gave up 21 points before the break and 20 points after intermission; so much for Willie Martinez’s ability to duplicate Brian VanGorder’s trademark second-half shutdowns (and, oftentimes, shutouts). Last week’s excuses do not apply; Mallett isn’t half as elusive as Stephen Garcia, and the Bulldog D wasn’t overworked against the Razorbacks, who ran 63 plays to the Red and Black’s 62. Georgia held the ball for almost 32 minutes of clock time, so fatigue should never have been a factor. The Classic City Canines gave up next to nothing on the ground (77 yards on 24 carries) while surrendering 408 yards and five touchdowns through the air, without so much as a single pick. On third down, though, the ‘Dawgs permitted the Hogs to convert just over 20 per cent of the time (3 of 14). What gives?

What makes the Georgia defensive numbers appear even weirder is the fact that Mallett was on fire, then, all of a sudden, he was ice-cold. The Arkansas quarterback completed eight of his first nine attempts in the second half, connecting on a pair of 40-yarders and one 30-yarder that was hauled in by Childs for a first down at the visitors’ eight yard line with fewer than five minutes remaining in the third period. At that point, a false start penalty cost the Razorbacks five yards, and, suddenly, Mallett couldn’t hit water if he fell out of a boat. Starting with the very next snap after the flag (one of eleven against the Hogs, who lost a football field’s worth of yardage to yellow laundry), Mallett went three for 14 the rest of the way. His last 14 attempts picked up a total of 36 yards, Mallett was sacked once, and he did not lead a touchdown drive. Maybe something changed that I was missing, but it didn’t look like the ‘Dawgs were getting a good deal more pressure on Mallett than they had before, yet his aim went from lethally accurate to absolutely off-target for no reason I was able to discern at first glance. Maybe Mallett was feeling the heat more than he had been before, but it didn’t seem like the ‘Dawgs were getting to him so much faster that he should have gone from looking like an NFL starter to looking like Jonathan Crompton so swiftly.

In the course of Coach Martinez’s tenure as Georgia’s defensive coordinator, the Bulldogs have surrendered single-game point tallies of 31 and 38 in 2005; 51 in 2006; 35, 30, and 34 in 2007; 41, 38, 49, 38, and 45 in 2008; and 37 and 41 in 2009. Seven of the last twelve opponents the Red and Black have faced have scored at least 37 points on Georgia. That is all.

The enduring value of Mark Richt’s consistent calm was on full display in Fayetteville. Down 21-10 after fifteen minutes of play, Georgia could have come unglued, yet the Bulldogs remained poised and continued to play their game without panic or desperation. There are a lot of problems which persist from last year, but there are a lot of positives that remain present, as well. What is worrisome is the reality that the ‘Dawgs had to come back and hang on to beat mid-tier league challengers in their first couple of conference outings. What will the Red and Black do when facing a ranked opponent whose SEC pedigree dates back before the early 1990s?

Those are my thoughts, and y’all have done an excellent job of sharing yours. (If I happen to have echoed sentiments I have not yet read, well, I guess great minds think alike.) Keep up the good work, and, as always, don’t forget to savor the win while spotting the flaws. Optimism may be overly extreme, but enjoyment and hope are entirely appropriate.

Go ‘Dawgs!

BlogPoll Roundtable Responses: Throw That Doug a Bone Edition

T Kyle King — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 20:00:20 -0000

Let’s face facts. Right about now, our good friend Doug Gillett is a bit down on his luck. Well, I mean, except for the fact that his fake engagement seems to have turned into an actual relationship, which worked out well for him, but which troubles me somewhat because I really had put a lot of thought into the bachelor party we were going to throw for him before his prearranged disengagement from his fauxancee---planned T-shirt slogan: "A Fake Engagement Calls for Fake Breasts"---but, hey, Doug’s a buddy, so I want to do what I can to help him out in his hour of need, provided he agrees to sell me the movie rights to his story, because I’ve already started working on a screenplay for a romantic comedy about two fictional characters I call "Hug" and "Dolly." (Yes, there’s a wedding scene in which the groom takes a toaster oven from the gift table and hurls it out a second-story window.)

Accordingly, as a show of solidarity with Doug, I am going above and beyond the call of duty and friendship by answering Doug’s BlogPoll roundtable questions. Don’t say I never did anything for you, pal. Here are my responses:

1. Without naming names, a few teams seem to have popped up frequently on everyone's "overrated" lists in the preseason, so let's forget about them for the moment and concentrate on a different group: sleepers. Which currently unheralded team are you currently putting at least a few of your chips behind in the hopes that you'll be able to say "totally called that" once they've accomplished big things by the end of the season?

A while ago, I identified three teams that were on the upswing, but I’ve backpedaled on a couple of them, so I’m left with the Clemson Tigers. I expect to see our old rival undergo a revival with C.J. Spiller running behind an offensive line that brings back all five starters. Eight returning first-teamers from a defense that held six of its last ten regular-season opponents under 14 points will keep the Country Gentlemen in a lot of games and Dabo Swinney has brought a whole new attitude to this team. Despite being named after Ferengi roulette, Coach Swinney is an Alabama alum who was promoted from within the existing staff. The last three Clemson coaches to share those characteristics were Frank Howard, Charley Pell, and Danny Ford. How’d that work out for the Tigers? This year, I think it works out in the form of an ACC championship.

2. In a similar vein, pick a sleeper player on your team whom nobody's talking about right now and tell us why we will be talking about them by December.

I have been a big fan of Tavarres King for a while now, and I believe this will be his breakout year. He’s put on muscle and improved his work ethic, and, with every player in the Georgia receiving corps having the opportunity to step up a notch to fill the void left by Mohamed Massaquoi, King (no relation) will make the most of his opportunity.

3. Florida is about as big a consensus favorite as we've seen in recent years, but remember, USC got 62 out of 65 first-place votes in the AP's 2007 preseason poll and still managed to lose to Stanford. Given how difficult it is to go undefeated period these days, where do you think the Gators are most likely to stumble in the regular season?

Since 1933, Georgia and Florida have alternated precise 19-year cycles of dominance over one another, and the Gators’ latest 19-year run (16-3 from 1990-2008) ended last year, meaning the ‘Dawgs historically are due. Since 1965, the Red and Black are 7-1 against defending national champions, including 2-0 against Florida teams coming off of No. 1 rankings the year before. The Classic City Canines have an open date before tangling with the Sunshine State Saurians, and Steve Spurrier proved how important the bye week before Jacksonville really was. Urban Meyer is the kind of coach who tears it up in big games yet stumbles against lesser opponents, and the Bulldogs appear pretty meager this year, especially in light of the way Lane Kiffin drew Coach Meyer’s ire this offseason. Plus, if Mark Richt is right about travel having an impact, the Orange and Blue ought to be tired out after the previous week’s 550-mile trek home from Starkville (where the Gators have not won in their last four trips, by the way). We all know Florida is going to lose one somewhere along the way, and that somewhere is by the St. John’s River. Mark it down: Georgia will beat Florida.

4. Which regular-season game not involving your team or conference are you most looking forward to this year?

That would be the one kicking off in just a few hours. I’ve been rooting for the Boise St. Broncos since the ‘Dawgs shellacked them in Athens in 2005, because that fun and stirring victory gets better and better with age as the WAC’s marquee program enjoys more and more success. I’m curious to see what the Oregon Ducks bring to the table at the end of a transitional offseason, as well. It’s a great way to get Labor Day weekend underway, and, since I’m Stillwater-bound on Friday, I get to stay up late and take it all in, provided I am able to convince my wife to let me watch it (or adjust the color on the set so the field looks green and I can trick her into believing I’m watching something else entirely).

5. In honor of Georgia's opening-weekend opponent and their most prolific booster, let's say you somehow come into T. Boone Pickens money and can buy anything you want for your program -- facilities upgrades, an airplane for recruiting, buy out the contract of that coach you hate, you name it. Where does your first check go?

I would schedule an appointment with Mark Richt, open up a briefcase full of cash on his desk, and say, "How much of this will it take for you to grow a goatee?" Mark Richt + goatee = national championship, guaranteed.

Go ‘Dawgs!

Official Dawg Sports Random College Football Forecasts for 2009

T Kyle King — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 08:30:13 -0000

Now that you’ve seen my conference championship picks, it’s time for me to offer a few more general forecasts. These will follow no particular pattern, and, as a lawyer, I reserve the right to "plead alternately and inconsistently" (read: contradict myself). These are a few of the things I think will happen in the course of the 2009 football season:

Although no SEC head coach will be fired this year, at least one SEC head coach will step down voluntarily.

The winner of the September 3 showdown between the Boise St. Broncos and the Oregon Ducks will have one loss on its record on January 8, 2010. The loser of that game will have three losses on its record as of that date.

At least one of the teams ranked in the preseason BlogPoll top ten will finish no better than .500.

Neither the Boston College Eagles nor the Notre Dame Fighting Irish will win a bowl game this season.

At least two Big East teams will be tied for the conference’s best record and the league’s BCS representative will be determined using tiebreakers.

Exactly two Pac-10 teams will be tied for the conference’s best record and the league’s BCS representative will be determined to be the USC Trojans.

The Duke Blue Devils will enter November with a record no worse than 4-4 but they will lose each of their last four games.

When Bobby Bowden and Urban Meyer shake hands at midfield on November 28, it will represent the final meeting between the two men as the head coaches of their current schools.

Tavarres King will rank third in receiving yardage for the Georgia Bulldogs this fall.

Caleb King will rank third in rushing yardage for the Georgia Bulldogs this fall.

The highest vote-getter among non-quarterbacks in the Heisman Trophy balloting will finish fourth in the running for college football’s most overrated award.

The Florida Gators will go 13-1, win the Eastern Division outright, attend and win the SEC championship game, attend and win the national championship game . . . and lose to Georgia.

Well, those are my daring forecasts on the eve of the season. Now it’s your turn to tell me your opinion. Where am I spot on and where am I wide of the mark? What gutsy prognostications are you prepared to tell us now and stand by later? Fire away in the comments below.

Go ‘Dawgs!

Dawg Sports Discusses Georgia Bulldogs on ESPN Radio in Gainesville/Ocala

T Kyle King — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 16:00:36 -0000

For the benefit of those of you who were unable to hear the show live, here is the audio clip of the segment on which I appeared, brought to you with the generous assistance of "The Morning Drive" team and Rocky Top Talk’s Joel:

Aside from almost referring to Willie Martinez’s offensive philosophy (which may have been a Freudian slip), I don’t think I made too much of a hash of this interview, but feel free to point out any other errors in the comments.

Go ‘Dawgs!