Topics for Discussion // 11.21.09

by cocknfire on Nov 22, 2009 1:16 AM EST in Football Comment 18 comments

On a scale of 1 to 10, how bad was the defeat for Georgia? Four turnovers were the key in a game that saw the Dawgs outgain the Cats by 227 yards and gain seven more first downs. That clinches the worst season by winning percentage of the Mark Richt Era and puts Georgia in danger of a .500 regular season and potentially a losing season if they can't defeat either Georgia Tech next week or the bowl opponent in December.

How good do you think Arkansas is? Mississippi State made a valiant effort at a comeback in the third quarter before the Hogs scored 14 in the fourth to win. Arkansas has won four straight and could clinch an eight-win season and maybe a New Year's Day bowl with a victory against LSU next week.

How secure is the Hat? Saturday's defeat against Ole Miss means the Bayou Bengals could still end up with their worst record in years. Then again, there's still an opportunity for 10 wins if you include the bowl. But the clock management at the end of the game was nothing short of a disaster. LSU waited until too late to call a timeout -- or to check and see if the referees noticed that they had called timeout -- before the key play and then tried to spike the ball with 1 second left. After the game per ESPN: "It's my fault that we didn't finish first in that game." So is he now on the clock for his job in 2009 or does he get one more season to try to fix this?

Which of the 11-0 teams impressed you more? Did either even impress you? Florida won 62-3 against Florida International while Alabama defeated Chattanooga 45-0. The Tide outgained the Mocs 422-84 and had 26 first downs to five -- yes, five -- for Chattanooga. The Gators amassed 584 yards to the Golden Panthers' 189, including 361 passing yards and solid performances by both Tim Tebow and John Brantley.

Bowl time. Who will get the New Year's Day bowls? Choose for the Capital One, Outback and Cotton. I'm not going to try to get any further than that right now, so I'm not going to ask you to. By the way, there are no more teams left on the fence. In: Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Ole Miss, Tennessee and South Carolina. Out: Vanderbilt and Mississippi State. If both Alabama and Florida make the BCS, then every eligible team will go to the postseason this year.

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Bowl meltdown scenario:

UT beats UK
LSU beats Arkansas
Georgia beats Tech
Bama beats Auburn

(which is probably only one upset)

After Ole Miss/LSU in the CapOne/Cotton, there is one remaining New Year’s Day bowl and FIVE teams tied at 7-5: Auburn, Kentucky, Georgia, Tennessee, and Arkansas. I’d have to lean UT in that scenario, being 2-1 against other tied teams, being in the East, and having Lane Kiffin to draw media attention. In the more likely scenario where Georgia loses to Tech and drops out of the tie, Arkansas is the only one of the bunch with a winning record vs. the other 3 (1-0), and UT is the one with the best conference record (4-4). Either way, it looks like Auburn and Kentucky need wins if they want New Year’s Day bids.

by Incipient_Senescence on Nov 22, 2009 1:49 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Don't forget

the unlikely snecario of South Carolina beating Clemson.

Dum spiro spero - "While I breathe, I hope"
State motto of South Carolina

by The Feathered Warrior on Nov 22, 2009 2:42 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Good call

Not that it’s more unlikely than Georgia beating Tech.

So a six way tie at 7-5 for #5 in the SEC is still in play.

by Incipient_Senescence on Nov 22, 2009 2:48 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I'd take any 7-5 team over Georgia at this point

Their fans are still going to be disappointed and unlikely to travel.

Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.

by cocknfire on Nov 22, 2009 3:24 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Process vs. results

I’m generally the slowest on the “fire the coach” bandwagon, but I thought that mess today was bad enough to shift the burden of proof. Now it’s not a question of why LSU should fire him, but why on earth should they keep him?

Miles strikes me as the logical conclusion of evaluating results versus evaluating process. For a few years now he’s had a reputation of taking silly gambles, but he’s gotten away with it because the gambles have worked. (I’m willing to entertain that he’s crazy like a fox, i.e. Belichickian crazy, but not in situations like today’s.)

Enough randomness goes into “success” in life that I wouldn’t really be all that surprised if Miles has gotten by with just a somewhat mediocre level of competence, a good bit of luck, and faking it until he makes it.

by PhilipVU94 on Nov 22, 2009 2:01 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

"On a scale of 1 to 10, how bad was the defeat for Georgia?"

Depends on who you ask.

When an out-of-work Mark Richt a year from now considers the question, he might go with a 10.

by D.N. Nation on Nov 22, 2009 2:25 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Surely you just?

This is an honest question. Are UGA fans really talking about firing Mark Richt? I mean, I understand firing coordinators, but Mark Richt? Really?

Dum spiro spero - "While I breathe, I hope"
State motto of South Carolina

by The Feathered Warrior on Nov 22, 2009 2:47 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Some Georgia fans are worried that won't happen

If Richt refuses to fire the coordinators, then the only way to fire them becomes firing Richt.

Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.

by cocknfire on Nov 22, 2009 3:25 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

This is similar to how many Vanderbilt fans feel about Cain/Johnson

Some just want to fire everyone and some defend OC Ted Cain. If you were to pick the midpoint of opinion, it would be that Bobby Johnson should remain but Cain should be sent packing, and that failure to get rid of Cain will reflect very negatively on Johnson.

by PhilipVU94 on Nov 22, 2009 11:58 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Honestly, that's why Shula got fired at Alabama.

He would’ve had another year if he had canned the OC (Dave Rader).

"So I want everybody to think here for a second, how much does this game mean to you? 'Cause if it means something to you, you can't stand still. You understand? You play fast! You play strong! You go out there and dominate the man you're playing against, and you make his ass quit! That's our trademark! That's our M.O.... as a team! That's what people know us as!" - Coach Nick Saban before the 2008 LSU game.

by 12NationalChampionships on Nov 24, 2009 9:24 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Nope, I don't jest.

Richt would rather bash the fans and make cryptic nonsensical comments than fix what’s easy to fix. It’s closing time in Athens. He just doesn’t know it yet.

I look forward to a real coaching staff dealing with the talent in Athens, because it’s there in force. But if Jim Caldwell had the Colts kicking squib kicks against inferior competition, or refused to put his best players on the field just because, or held into best bud coordinators who are over the head by a factor of 100, the Colts wouldn’t be very good, either.

Richt is toast. He’ll hold onto Willie-n-Pals over the offseason, do the same things next season, and then the decision will be in Damon Evans’ hands. And that will be that.

by D.N. Nation on Nov 22, 2009 7:51 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

All that early success doesn't buy him 1 bad year?

He’s had 2 SEC championships, and 3 title game appearances. He’s averages close to 10 wins a season. Those are great stats. Plus, what if he makes the coordinator changes you’re calling for? You sure you’re not over reacting just a tad here?

In any case, I hope you’re right. I would love for UGA to make a rash decision, fire a great coach, and hire a hot young bust. My only fear in that scenario would be South Carolina hiring Richt, as we like to do. I don’t want your leftovers.

Dum spiro spero - "While I breathe, I hope"
State motto of South Carolina

by The Feathered Warrior on Nov 22, 2009 8:04 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

“Plus, what if he makes the coordinator changes you’re calling for?”

You’re funny.

by D.N. Nation on Nov 22, 2009 8:21 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Because Georgia fans forget the past

Richt is the most successful coach they have ever had. They tend to think the program’s standard level of accomplishment is defined by the Herschel years and Richt’s earlier years, not the other 100+ years they have been playing the game.

by CraigT on Nov 23, 2009 6:54 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

- Oh man, I went to bed too early. Wow. If UGA loses the last two – especially if GaTech does to them to GaTech does to frail defences – Richt will have to ditch Bobo and Martinez to avoid falling on his own sword.

- Arky’s getting to be a dangerous team, and it will be a real challenger out west when it develops consistency. I’m afraid I don’t really have enough of a grasp of their depth chart to say more…

- I think the Mad Hatter is in a pretty similar situation to Richt – he should have enough good will stored up to survive this season, but he really has to ditch Crowton to be sure. The staggering ineptitude in the end-game shouldn’t obscure the fact that Ole Miss was clearly the better team, and that LSU was only in it at the end due to one of the rarest of all types of play – the blocked and returned figgie. The West is getting very competitive, and if you’re going to jump into the market this might be a good season – not a lot of high profile jobs are coming open. (Probably.)

- Well, they crushed their weenies, which is what they were supposed to do… and SEC teams not named Florida and Bama haven’t done that as routinely as they ought to have this season. I have no clue what happened in the Bama game beyond the score, but Florida used FIU as a scrimmage – the first half was situational passing drills for the starters, and the second half was some extended live-action for next year’s starters. The most exciting thing was getting a preview of what a Brantley-led offence should look like. (The answer? Very different.)

- If Ole Miss wins the Egg Bowl, it gets the Cap One; the LSU-Arky winner probably gets the Cotton unless Ole Miss slips up, though a big upset for Auburn would certainly fling them into the discussion. The Outback? Well, um, I guess it’s Kentucky’s to lose… if it does, UGA or SC could be in the picture with big closing wins. Otherwise, I guess Tenn by default (“the two sweetest words in the English language!”) unless the guys in blazers are willing to make it a clean sweep for the West. Which they could, if the West has four eight-plus win teams and the East has none (excluding the capo di tutti capi in each case.)

by peachy rex on Nov 22, 2009 3:09 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Crazy

Kentucy beat UGA, thats unheard of. Last thing I knew it was 20-6. If they beat tech, that will save thier season. When UF has a terrible season it doesnt feel quite as bad, if we beat FSU.

Is this a SEC meltdown season, or is the talent gap getting smaller top to bottom…

John Brantley looked good for next season, so that impressed me.

"Why does bottled water have an expiration date?"

by Hook85 on Nov 22, 2009 7:44 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

In Defense of the Hogs

If the defense shows up, the Ozark Pigs have already proven they can beat the #1 ranked team in the country (please note I did not say the best team in the land, because only God truly knows who that is). Given the aforementioned as a fact, if we can hold LSU under 28 at Red Stick, the Hogs play in the Cotton Bowl.

by T-towner on Nov 22, 2009 8:55 PM EST reply actions 0 recs