Today we will look at the preaseason #1 from the coaches poll. Wow is all that can be said after watching Georgia dismantle Hawaii in the Sugar Bowl. Expectations could not be any higher for there upcoming season. SEC looks to make it three straight BCS title champs. Georgia definately is the best on paper in the conference.
Mark Richt has had his teams playing at a high level for years now. All the stars seem to be aligned for a run at his first national championship! With his fifth campaign of double-digit wins in seven seasons, Richt joined Pete Carroll, Urban Meyer, Bob Stoops and Barry Switzer as the only five coaches in the modern era of the Football Bowl Subdivision to win 70 games in their first seven seasons. Further, Richt continued to evolve as head coach last season, his first since he fully relinquished play-calling duties to offensive coordinator and former Georgia quarterback Mike Bobo. Don't look for him to be out coached or worked this season!
QB play should be one of there strong points for this season. Junior Matt Stafford has played his best games when it has counted the most. Teammates seem to look at him has the leader for the offense. When Stafford plays within the offensive framework and limits his turnovers, the Bulldogs are nearly unbeatable. Georgia is 14-2 when Stafford starts and tosses one interception or less; it is undefeated when Stafford starts and does not throw an interception. Such patience and recognition hasn't come without its frustrations for Stafford, Bobo says. Georgia has little senior leadership on the offensive side of the ball, and quarterback is a natural habitat for a team leader. Look for Stafford to step up big this year and lead this team to the SEC championship game!
Running back is the strong point of the offense. As plenty of defensive coordinators can now attest, Knowshon Moreno (5-11, 207) is no joke. A sublimely talented third-year sophomore tailback from Belford, N.J., Moreno generated one brutally effective stretch last season that made it appear as though he was running against air. Only easier. Quick to accelerate and deceptively difficult to bring down, Moreno gashed foes for 766 yards and nine touchdowns during his ascension to first-team All-SEC and Freshman All-America accolades. Moreno closed his rookie outing with 1,334 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground. He might have a good enough season that heisman is not of the question!
Defense is going to be stout all season. Players move on, often to the NFL, but a constant remains along Georgia's defensive front: Bulldogs are going to be at or near the top of the SEC in sacking the quarterback. Marcus Howard produced an SEC-best 10.5 sacks last year and tallied three more drops behind the line against Hawaii in his final game. Attacking from the edge like angry drivers on an exit ramp, the Bulldogs have amassed 109 sacks -- including a league-leading 42 last year -- in three seasons of defensive coordinator Willie Martinez's smartly aggressive system. Look for them to have another dominant season and shut down most teams. If they lose a game don't look for it to be because of the defense!
Georgia coaches and players aren't engrossed with their preseason buzz, but they have accepted and acknowledged their status as national title contender. That could be key in handling pressure that could be considerable by the time Alabama comes to Athens on Sept. 27. The return of 45 letter winners would seem to indicate a plethora of depth at most positions, but the Bulldogs need quickly to bolster their offensive line rotation and establish a place-kicker.
Prediction for this year: They should definately be in the SEC championship game. Look for them to lose one game but still to play in the BCS game!
Click here to view all of Craig Trapp's premium plays.
Social Bookmarking
Search
Departments
Recommended Sportsbooks
Print Article
Send to a friend
Featured Sponsor