More "Stars" than those that are "Super"?

Including Isaiah Crowell, four Rivals 5-star recruits played for the Bulldogs in the Outback Bowl. 
That's one more than the Giants and Patriots had COMBINED on their Super Bowl rosters.

Just prior to the Super Bowl, this article was posted at Rivals.com, breaking down its recruiting rankings for both the New England Patriots and New York Giants' 53-man active rosters. 

On a personal note, I feel Rivals' "star" system and ranking process can be somewhat flawed; there are a couple other football recruiting sources/experts I prefer.  Nevertheless, I found its linked piece on the two Super Bowl teams relatively intriguing.  So much in fact, like most anything else, I attempted to apply it to UGA football.

Georgia finished its 2011 season with its own 53-man active roster of sorts; 53 different Bulldogs just happened to see playing time in the Outback Bowl.  Like in the article, I divided these players into their recruiting "star" rankings according to Rivals:

No stars (6)

PK Brandon Bogotay, ST Taylor Bradberry, ST Cory Campbell, SN Ty Frix, ST Connor Norman, ST Blake Sailors

Two stars (1)
P Drew Butler

Three stars (17)
OL David Andrews, WR Michael Bennett, DB Sanders Commings, WR Chris Conley, DB Marc Deas, FB Bruce Figgins, OL Kenarious Gates, DL Kwame Geathers, OL Cordy Glenn, OL Ben Jones, FB Alexander Ogletree, DB Bacarri Rambo, RB Carlton Thomas, LB Chase Vasser, LB Kosta Vavlas, PK Blair Walsh, DB Shawn Williams

Four stars (25)
OL Justin Anderson, DB Brandon Boykin, WR Marlon Brown, OL Chris Burnette, TE Orson Charles, LB Michael Gilliard, LB Amarlo Herrera, DL John Jenkins, DL Abry Jones, LB Jarvis Jones, WR Tavarres King, TE Arthur Lynch, RB Ken Malcome, DB Nick Marshall, WR Malcolm Mitchell, DB Corey Moore, QB Aaron Murray, LB Alec Ogletree, LB Christian Robinson, DL Garrison Smith, LB T.J. Stripling, DB Damian Swann, DL Mike Thornton, LB Cornelius Washington, TE Aaron White

Five stars (4)
RB Isaiah Crowell, LB Ray Drew, DB Branden Smith, RB Richard Samuel

Although not surprising, what first caught my eye is of the six Bulldogs who had no star value prior to their arrival to UGA, all of them played solely a special teams role against Michigan State.  Furthermore, evidently roughly half of Georgia's kickoff coverage consisted of no-star players. 

And some of us wondered why the Bulldogs had such a difficult time covering kicks all season...

At any rate, if Georgia's 6 no-star players, 1 two-star, 17 three stars, 25 four stars, and 4 five stars are averaged, that equates to 3.26 stars per "active" Bulldog player.  In comparison, the players on the New England roster, who were college recruits from 2002 and later (36 of 53), had a lowly recruiting average of only 2.44 stars (and thus the reason for the "underdog" article).  

The New York Giant players who, according to the piece, "were held in higher regard as recruits [than New England's]," did have a higher average, but it was still less than three at 2.97 stars.

Realizing Georgia had a good amount of turnover in player personnel from 2010 to 2011 and this could translate to a significant difference in perceived talent, I figured the Bulldogs' star value for its final "active" roster from the year before -- the participants in the 2010 Liberty Bowl.  Georgia did indeed have turnover from the losing 6-7 season of 2010 to the next.  Of the 53 players who appeared in the Outback Bowl, only about half (27) had played in the Liberty Bowl loss to Central Florida.  Still, the 2010 Georgia team had an average recruiting ranking of 3.18 stars, or nearly the same as the following season's squad.

At first, I had a rather difficult time comprehending all of this.  You mean to say the last two Bulldog football teams, one of which had a losing year, were more highly regarded as recruits, on the whole, than the players that made up supposedly the two best teams in all of professional football?

I think it's safe to say that if you were to take any "active" roster of a college football team that annually ranks in Rivals' top 10 to 15 nationally, its average stars per player would be roughly 3.0 to 3.5.  Likewise, if you were to take an active roster of any random NFL team, my guess its average recruiting stars per player would be similar to that of the Super Bowl-winning Giants, or at least a quarter of a star lower than the college team's average.

What do such results suggest?  Probably just about anything from college teams need to somehow hire a Tom Coughlin or  Bill Belichick as their head coach to take advantage of the extraordinary talent they're apparently signing, to Rivals' recruiting rankings are a bunch of bunk and darts might as well be thrown at a dartboard in designating star values to most high school players, to the results are mere circumstances and suggest absolutely nothing at all.

Perhaps the only thing clear is of the combined 29 four- and five-star Bulldogs that appeared in the Outback Bowl, a whopping 25 will be returning for the 2012 season.  And that, considering how talented these players were coming out of high school and according to Rivals, could only be a good thing... I guess.

The Day when even the Faculty went "Bonkers"

Like many of you, I'm a Bulldog fan who recently had to bust out the credit card to donate to the Hartman Fund for the right to later actually buy season tickets.  During the most recent occurrence, I thought about the number of different areas in Sanford Stadium I've sat and watched Georgia football since I began attending games 31 years ago.  During this time, my most frequented seat has been among a group of faculty members in the lower level on the South side.  My dad - a former sociology professor at UGA - has had these same seats since he started teaching at the university in 1968.  It's where I primarily sat until I went off to college, and where I still sit on occasion even today. 

The faculty section consists of a rather obedient and tame group of individuals.  Unless getting up for the bathroom or to buy concessions, most of the faculty seldom stand.  After the North side declares "Georgia!"  only a few of the faculty will actually respond with "Bulldogs."  Some time during high school, when I experienced a different location at the stadium for the first time, I remember thinking how the new location was "crazy" and near deafening.  On the contrary, whenever I've brought a new guest to sit with me among the faculty, they seemingly always ask me something on the order of when are these people going to wake up?

On a personal note, the faculty members around my dad's seats, who I'd be willing to guess have been sitting there since the 1960s as well, were awaken for the LSU game in 1999.  The following is something I'm certainly not proud of, and speaking for an ex-girlfriend of mine, I have a feeling neither is she. 

My girlfriend at the time drank a little too much prior to the Bulldogs-Tigers meeting; WAY too much for a 12:30 kickoff.  Towards the end of the game, the "excitement" first began when my ex-girlfriend passed out in her own lap.  Soon afterwards, she "got sick" at her own feet, which was followed with her getting sick all over mine.  At this point, she was promptly carried up the stairs and towards the exits, before we were stopped by stadium security and escorted to a First Aid station.  

As we all know, this type of thing happens all the time in other parts of Sanford Stadium, but not in the faculty section.   

As I sat in a First Aid room at the stadium, I missed Will Witherspoon tip away the Tigers' bid for a victory on a two-point conversion attempt and Georgia escape with a one-point win.  Nevertheless, things could have been much worse (like her getting sick at the beginning of the game, getting better, and us returning to our seats).  I swear, I still get dirty looks from the section regarding my old-girlfriend-got-sick-in-the-stands incident from more than a decade ago.

As far as pure excitement amongst my faculty friends, there's only one other personal moment I can readily recall that has the LSU incident beat: Kevin Butler's 60-yard game-winning field goal to defeat 2nd-ranked Clemson in 1984.

As many of you are fully aware, following Butler's field goal, legendary Larry Munson blurted, "the stadium is worse than bonkers!"  Included in this chaos was indeed the faculty, who might not have been "worse than...," but they were most certainly "bonkers."

I remember the aftermath of Butler's game-winner like it was yesterday...  At nine years old, I was nearly terrified as I watched these people around me, who had been near-stagnant since I had been coming to games, instantly come unhinged.  When all the screaming and jumping about finally ceased, I don't think a single soul was standing in front of their rightful seat.  At one point, a man from behind who didn't know me from Adam, tried to lift me in the air in celebration.  I was somewhat of a husky fellow back then, so I didn't get very high; nevertheless, in the attempt by a complete stranger to toss me around, I was then more confused than ever.

Suddenly, a couple of white plastic cups featuring one of those classic drawings by Jack Davis skipped through the section, spraying ice and drink on everyone within distance.  Someone had dropped, or thrown cups of Coke from the top level above.  Under normal circumstances, the faculty would have been appalled and a security guard likely would have been summoned to seek out the culprit.  But not so for the 1984 Clemson game. 

Those drenched in drink seemed to relish in the moment, especially the elderly professor who sat right in front of me that never, and I mean never, made so much of a peep for years.  As Coke dripped from his check, the old man looked to the overhang above, licked the side of his mouth, and loudly hollered "thanks" to the group above for putting "something extra" in their Coke.  At the time, I had no idea what he meant by "something extra."  All I knew is something mighty special must have occurred to turn the meekest of fans into raving fanatics.

Although I don't remember much of the game-winning field goal  itself, just what followed, probably the greatest UGA football play I've ever witnessed in person is when "the Butler did it" against the Tigers.  The moment reminds me every February while I send off my hard-earned donation dollars that watching a game at Sanford Stadium, no matter what section I sit in, exceeds watching it from my couch.

RICHT vs. BOBO (updated)

The numbers don't lie -- Georgia's offense has been more productive in every conceivable
facet since Bobo has been calling the plays, except one (but it's a BIG one).

The last few seasons, there has been much grumbling regarding the play calling of OC Mike Bobo.  Perhaps never was it more evident than during the first half of Georgia's sub-par campaign of 2010.  Following the Bulldogs' loss at Colorado and a 1-4 start to their season, I posted offensive production statistics for the 46 games Bobo had been calling the plays compared to Richt's last 46 in the same role. 

I was quite surprised in the results, which favored Bobo in most every aspect.

Twenty-two games later and as I'm observing Bobo call repeated runs up the middle for lost yardage in the Outback Bowl, I first considered comparing the two coach's again.  After receiving a couple of emails from readers since the loss to Michigan State, asking if I had updated my original comparison, I decided to calculate the offensive production statistics again over the weekend.

This time, I evaluated the entire 144-game Mark Richt era: 76 with Richt calling the plays (2001 season opener through 2006 Auburn) and 68 with Bobo (2006 Georgia Tech through 2012 Outback Bowl).  Considering 52 additional games were being recognized than before, or an increase of more than 55 percent, I thought there could very well be different results than when I compared the two coach's the first time. 

Not so much...

Since Bobo has been calling the plays, the Bulldogs have averaged more than one-half offensive touchdown per game than scored by Richt's offenses.  Bobo has also averaged more yards per play, both rushing and passing, and has settled for less field goals.

Off. TDs per game:

Richt 3.03; Bobo 3.57

Yards per play:

Richt 5.72 (3.98 rush, 7.98 pass); Bobo 5.92 (4.27 rush, 8.02 pass)

FGs per game:

Richt 1.67 of 2.20; Bobo 1.44 of 1.96

Bobo's offenses have turned the ball over less and punted fewer times per game.  Also, despite Bulldog quarterbacks getting sacked a combined 58 times the last two seasons, Bobo's offenses have still maintained a lower sack percentage (times sacked/times sacked + pass attempts).

Turnovers per game:

Richt 1.70; Bobo 1.57

Punts per game:

Richt 4.34; Bobo 4.22

Sack Pct.:

Richt 5.97; Bobo 5.15

Bobo has been better at converting on 3rd down and on both 3rd and 4th down combined.  Bobo has a slight edge in Red-Zone points per game, and even more telling, a significant advantage of +0.66 in Red-Zone points per Red-Zone visit.  Moreover, and perhaps the most eye-popping difference, Bobo's offenses have possessed the ball an average of more than three minutes per game than Richt's did. 

3rd Pct.:

Richt 39.6; Bobo 42.0

3rd + 4th Pct.:

Richt 41.1; Bobo 42.9

RZ Pts per game:

Richt 18.84; Bobo 19.19 

RZ pts per RZ visit:

Richt 4.52; Bobo 5.18

Time of Possession:

Richt 28:45; Bobo 31:56

And probably my favorite stat - the YPP, or "yards per point," or in this case, how hard a team had to "work" to score its points.  As I mentioned in October 2010, although a team's defense and special teams units certainly play a role in the offensive YPP, the ratio is an excellent representation of an offense's overall efficiency.  The lower the offensive YPP, the better.

Offensive YPP:

Richt 13.71; Bobo 12.41

As I also mentioned following the Colorado game a year ago, I realize my comparison doesn't necessarily equate to each coach's play-calling prowess, but more so their respective offense's production.  In addition, obviously each coach faced different defenses while armed with different offensive players; however, it can certainly be argued the opposing defenses faced and offensive talent present for Georgia during the two periods were presumably at or at least near the same levels. 

In closing, since Bobo has been calling the plays, Georgia's offense has been more productive than Richt's offenses for every single measurement I felt was appropriate in comparing the two periods, EXCEPT one -- the most important statistic of them all:

RICHT calling the plays: 59-17 record (34-14 in SEC, 17-13 vs. AP-ranked opponents)

BOBO calling the plays: 47-21 record (26-14 in SEC, 13-14 vs. AP-ranked opponents)  

It's no secret that many in the Bulldog Nation (including yours truly on occasion), during Georgia's last few seasons of mediocrity, have been quick to point the finger at Bobo's play calling as a major issue.  However, at least comparatively speaking, I'm beginning to believe that Bobo isn't necessarily a problem but maybe a scapegoat, and something else besides his play calling, or lack thereof, should be focused upon. 

"Suspended" by the Powers that Be...

You, yes you, can now watch George Rogers'
game-clinching  fumble against the Bulldogs
in 1980 from our Digital Network for as little
as $3.99!

On Saturday morning, I had received a couple of emails asking why my blog had disappeared.  This disturbing development was certainly news to me, but sure enough, I visited my site and it had indeed been removed since early Friday.  I finally got it restored yesterday morning. 

I did some digging and found out that there was a very good reason for my blog's disappearing act: I had committed a major violation and because of it, I was being punished by the powers that be!

It seems that the 40 or so videos of old Bulldog games I had posted on YouTube over the last one-and-a-half years and embedded into my blog posts were committing copyright infringement.  XOS Digital - a division of XOS Technologies, Inc., and the group behind the SEC Digital Network - has apparently been on a mission to rid the Internet of any video depicting members of the SEC.  They finally caught up to me a few days ago, and in the process, got rid of every last one of my 40+ freakin' videos that I spent hours cutting up and preparing!    

Suddenly, without any sort of notification or warning of my wrong doing, my blog was temporarily removed, all of my videos were wiped out, and my YouTube account was suspended.

I got my blog back and that's what really mattered to me the most.  Losing the videos isn't that big of a deal; however, there was an audience (albeit, a small one) that enjoyed watching my old clips of the Bulldogs from yesteryear.  Now, because Jake Scott, the "Junkyard Dogs," Herschel Walker, Scott Woerner, Terry Hoage, Garrison Hearst, etc., played for SEC member Georgia, their videos can no longer be posted; XOS Digital will have none of it.  

I can no longer share my clips with the Bulldog Nation, but am forced to watch them by my lonesome (and I mean all alone -- strangely, my wife doesn't enjoy reliving the 1976 Florida game with me).  However, if the Bulldogs were a member of the Big Ten, for example, the videos would remain on my blog and up at YouTube for the few viewers that actually wanted to watch them.

Also, how ironic is it that the SEC Digital Network, who emailed me countless times a year or so ago wanting me to post its "SEC Video Zone" (or whatever the hell it was) on my blog (which I actually did for a short period before I noticed it was slowing down my site) is run by the same group that reported to YouTube all of my "infringing acts"?  Bunch of squealing bastards...

One quick look at the SEC's site and I notice it has one of my favorite old Bulldog classics "on demand" -- the 1980 Georgia-South Carolina game.  Before you could go to YouTube, or my blog, and view clips from this game.  Now, you still can view the clips from the very same game via the SEC Digital Network, but it's gonna cost you: $3.99 to rent, $6.99 to own.

Now, I get it.  It's all about the almighty dollar.  And folks that already have plenty of them, only want more.  Oh, well.  You live and learn -- that is, me and numerous others, who were not looking to make any money, but simply enjoy video clips of our favorite SEC teams from the past and present. 

On a positive note, I'm nearly finished with my Georgia-Florida manuscript, so I should have more free time beginning next week to dedicate to my now video-less blog.

Just Another Lost Lead...

In four seasons from 2008 through 2011, Coach Richt and company reached a mark
higher than Georgia did during the entire 25 seasons of the Coach Vince Dooley era...

...but it certainly isn't a mark to be proud of.

It recently dawned on me that Georgia's loss to Michigan State in the Outback Bowl was surely the third or fourth setback the Bulldogs endured the last several years after it led its opposition by double digits in the second half. 

I did a little research, and sure enough, the loss to the Spartans was Georgia's fourth in the last four seasons after leading by 10 or more points in the second half -- a "lost lead," so to speak.  During the four-season period, the Bulldogs had no "comeback wins," or the contrary -- trailing by 10+ points in the second half only to rally for a victory.

Georgia's comeback wins and lost leads under Coach Richt:

2002: Trailed Auburn by 11 in 2H but won

2004: Trailed South Carolina by 10 in 2H but won

2006: Trailed Colorado by 13 in 2H but won

2006: Led Tennessee by 10 in 2H but lost

2006: Trailed Virginia Tech by 18 in 2H but won

2007: Trailed Vanderbilt by 10 in 2H but won

2008: Led Georgia Tech by 16 in 2H but lost

2009: Led Kentucky by 14 in 2H but lost

2010: Led Colorado by 10 in 2H but lost

2011: Led Michigan State by 16 in 2H but lost

So, what does this all mean?  Since it's such a small sampling, initially, I thought probably little.  Although I did believe it was somewhat alarming that Richt had 5 comeback wins and 1 lost lead in his first 7 seasons, but was 0 and 4 the last four.  More so, Georgia's four lost leads starting with Tech in 2008 have resulted during its total of 17 losses during that time, meaning for nearly 1 out of 4 of the Bulldogs' setbacks beginning with the Jackets in '08, Georgia actually had a double-digit lead in the second half.

During the 288-game Dooley era, Georgia lost just three
games after leading by 10+ points in the second half. 
Interestingly, TWO of those losses came in the Bulldogs'
two appearances in the Astrodome: the 1978 Bluebonnet
Bowl vs. Stanford and pictured against Houston in 1967.

What about Georgia's previous head coaches?  Maybe the fact that Richt has suffered a lost lead several years in a row isn't that much of a big deal in comparison? 

Not so much.  In 44 seasons from 1964 through 2007, the Bulldogs never suffered a lost lead in back-to-back seasons, much less one FOUR years in a row.

DOOLEY (25 seasons, 288 games): 13 comeback wins, 3 lost leads

GOFF (7 seasons, 81 games): 4 comeback wins, 2 lost leads

DONNAN (5 seasons, 59 games): 5 comeback wins, 3 lost leads

RICHT (11 seasons, 144): 5 comeback wins, 5 lost leads

More telling, in 519 games from 1964 through 2007, Georgia lost just 9 games where it led by 10+ points in the second half (1 in 58 games) compared to 4 lost leads in 53 games from 2008 through 2011 (1 in 13 games).

At first, I thought comparing coaching eras in this regard might be completely apples-to-oranges...  Supposedly, offenses are far more sophisticated these days than they were during Dooley's time for example, and more points are scored in games.  So, a double-digit second-half lead nowadays is far less "safe" than it was say 30-40 years ago.  This argument might have some significance; however, major college teams averaged 21.2 points per game in 1968 for example, compared to only a slight increase to 24.4 points nearly 40 years later in 2006. 

Anyway, no matter how many total points are scored, if a team has a double-digit lead in the second half, I don't care if it is the year 2011 or 1911, it shouldn't lose the game.  

A closer look at the Richt era reveals... 

From 2001 through 2007 (91 games), Georgia led by 10+ points in the second half of 62 games, suffering just 1 lost lead.  The Bulldogs trailed by 10+ points in the second half of 16 games, rallying for 5 comeback wins. 

From 2008 through 2011 (53 games), Georgia led by 10+ points in the second half of 32 games, but endured 4 lost leads.  The Bulldogs trailed by 10+ points in the second half of 14 games, rallying for ZERO comeback wins. 

How is all of this significant?  In my opinion, the problem lies in exactly what this blog and 1,000 others have been declaring since the Bulldogs started their demise in 2008, whether its poor conditioning, complacency, or so-called "energy vampires" within the program.  I was under the impression these issues were beginning to be controlled, which they probably and hopefully are, and perhaps the second-half collapse to Michigan State was a mere hiccup --  just another lost lead in the Bulldogs' improvement process.

Regardless, what occurred just twice in seven seasons of a dark Ray Goff era has resulted in each of the last four years... and that doesn't say much for the current coaching regime.

In Our Heads

As the 2011 college football season officially ended last night, I realized that I'm just about over the Bulldogs ending their campaign in very disappointing fashion.  I've basically forgotten that Georgia simply handed another victory to an opponent, which is exactly what I was afraid might happen.

Still, I cannot seem to get Blair Walsh and particularly his first failed field-goal attempt in overtime against the Spartans out of my head.

As one who is passionate about the history of UGA football, I've imagined how historic, memorable, and almost fitting it would have been if Walsh had made his first overtime attempt - a kick I actually thought was good until the very last moment.  After recording two of the greatest seasons ever by a Georgia placekicker, here's a player who had struggled all year and yet on his final field-goal attempt as a Bulldog, he not only wins the Outback Bowl but sets the SEC's all-time career scoring record in the process.

Alas, as we all know, Walsh's kick instead missed, he later set the record on an attempt to force another overtime, and his final and second-most important field-goal try as a Bulldog was blocked, ending the placekicker's Georgia career.

What I can't seem to get out of my head is how did it come to this?  What on earth happened to Blair Walsh this season? 

How does a former All-American, who missed as many field goals in two years combined that you can count on one hand, miss 14 attempts in a single season?

During the season, I heard that Walsh is surely "rattled," or simply put, there must be "something in his head."  But surely and simply there must have been something more to it than just that... 

Look, I have no place-kicking experience.  The last time I kicked a ball in organized sports, it was a soccer ball, and that was way back in middle school, and my kick probably went astray and out of bounds.  Also, I realize that Blair is a college kid in his early-20s, so just about anything is possible.  In addition, I'm a firm believer in until you walk a mile in a man's shoes, it's difficult to judge him. 

However, this is beyond baffling:

In 2009, Walsh made 20 of 22 field goals, or 90.9 percent.  Of the 52 players in FBS football to attempt at least 20 field goals that season, Walsh's 90.9 percent was tied for the SECOND best in the nation.

In 2010, Walsh made 20 of 23 field goals, or 87.0 percent.  Of the 44 players in FBS football to attempt at least 20 field goals that season, Walsh's 87.0 percent was the FIFTH best in the nation. 

In 2011, Walsh made 21 of 35 field goals, or only 60.0 percent.  Of the 43 players in FBS football to attempt at least 20 field goals this season, Walsh's 60.0 percent was tied for the SECOND WORST in the nation.

In my research and work over the years, I've nerdily looked over and analyzed more statistics than I care to recall, and I've hardly ever observed something quite like this: a near first-to-worst player at his position - one of the best placekickers in the country instantly becomes arguably the worst.   

You would have to believe that if Georgia had some sort of coach specifically for the special teams unit and/or for kickers, it would have only helped Walsh.  Granted, the Bulldogs didn't have such an assistant in 2009 and 2010 when the placekicker was at his best; however, a special teams coordinator, or the like, on Georgia's sidelines in 2011 could have only provided  assistance to Walsh during his apparent meltdown.

For 21 seasons from 1974 to 1994, Bill Hartman was a volunteer kicking coach at Georgia.  The placekickers under the former Bulldog standout is like a who's who of the greatest kickers ever at UGA: Allan Leavitt, Rex Robinson, Kevin Butler, Steve Crumley, John Kasay, Todd Peterson, and Kanon Parkman.  From 1974 through 1994, Bulldog placekickers made better than 70 percent (70.3) of their field-goal attempts.  During the same time period, the remaining kickers in all of major college football were nearly 10 percent less accurate (61.1).  Assuredly, Hartman had something to do - even if it was only the slightest - with this remarkable difference in accuracy.

I realize the NCAA eliminated volunteer coaches nearly 15 years ago, and Georgia doesn't have a full-time special teams coach because Coach Richt takes the same approach as his mentor, Bobby Bowden, and divides the special teams amongst position coaches. 

For 2011, it's my understanding that offensive line coach Will Friend was responsible for coaching the PAT and field-goal kicking unit.  Friend may have been an All-SEC lineman for Alabama in 1997, but I seriously doubt the one-time 6-foot-2, 275-pound offensive guard attempted many PATs or field goals in his time. 

More than two months ago, when asked if he ever considered a full-time special teams coach, Richt said he "looked at it" but "if you have a guy that does only special teams, all of the sudden you’re robbing a position from the offense or defense."

Coach, desperate times call for desperate measures, and whether you have to rob, steal, or cheat, something needs to be done for next year regarding Georgia's special teams - perhaps a new approach from the old-school way of Bobby Bowden. 

Specifically, whether Walsh was coached by  Friend, had his own personal kicking coach, or wasn't coached at all, it simply did not work in 2011; whatever was "in his head" evidently stayed there the entire season with no assistance for escape. 

An All-Time Favorite

Win, lose, or draw, the 1978 WONDERDOGS are one of the most favorite Bulldog teams of all time

Over the holidays, a friend of mine mentioned that the 2011 Bulldogs, even if they were to lose their bowl game today, were one of his most "favorite" Georgia football teams of all time; a squad with a coach on the supposed "hot seat" starts off 0-2, only to win 10 consecutive games and capture the SEC East.  What's there not to admire?

When asked of their "favorite" Georgia team, it has been my experience that often Bulldog fans, instead of mentioning the elite and championship teams of the past, will declare a group that more so overachieved and/or endured adversity to succeed.  Examples of such overachieving Bulldogs include the 1975 Junkyard Dogs, the season after Herschel in 1983, Operation Turnaround in 1991, and the 2005 SEC champs. 

In addition, there were the 1978 Wonderdogs - perhaps the best example in Georgia football history of underdogs turned topdogs.

Entering the 1978 season, the Bulldogs were actually forecasted to be even worse than the losing 5-6 team from the year before.  In the preseason, one media outlet predicted that Georgia's game with Vanderbilt would decide which school was the 9th and 10th-best squad in the 10-member SEC.  Reportedly, the only probable victory on the schedule was a meeting with the Virginia Military Institute - a Division I-AA opponent - in early November.

Nevertheless, Georgia achieved an unfathomable 9-1-1 regular-season record and came within an eyelash of capturing an SEC title.  Within the first five games of the year, the Bulldogs remarkably defeated three opponents - Baylor, Clemson, and LSU - as decided underdogs.  For the entire season, four of the nine victories by the Underdogs to Wonderdogs were by a scant one- or two-point margin.

Ranked 7th nationally in the UPI Poll, Georgia headed to the now-defunct Bluebonnet Bowl at the Astrodome in Houston.  The Wonderdogs were facing Stanford and Coach Bill Walsh's high-flying offense, and once again - this time by more than a touchdown - the Bulldogs were underdogs:

In the 1978 Bluebonnet Bowl, one truly had to wonder about the Wonderdogs.  During the regular season, Georgia had overcome deficits in the fourth quarter four times to rally for three victories and a tie at Auburn.  Included was a 29-28 win over Georgia Tech, where the Bulldogs trailed 20-0 at one point. 

After pulling off the biggest comeback victory in school history in its regular-season finale, Georgia suffered its biggest blown lead of all time the very next game, dropping a 25-22 decision to Stanford after the Bulldogs had led 22-0 in the third quarter.  

After averaging just 329 yards of total offense for the year, Georgia gained more than 500 on Stanford.  On the contrary, the Cardinals (and, yes, the nickname had an "s" back then, unlike today, but still referred to the color and not the bird), who entered with the fifth-highest ranked offense in the nation, was held to roughly 100 yards below their regular-season average.

Notably, after losing a school-record 35 fumbles during the 1977 season, Georgia decided to switch from the Veer offense to the I-formation.  The change was a success as the Bulldogs lost just 16 fumbles in '78.  However, in the Bluebonnet Bowl, the old epidemic emerged as Georgia lost five fumbles to the Cardinals - ALL of them in the second half.

Also sporadic was the performance of Rex Robinson.  During the year, the sophomore placekicker was nearly perfect, missing just two kicks (29 of 29 PAT, 15 of 17 field goals).  However, in the Astrodome against Stanford alone, Robinson missed four (1 of 3 PAT, 1 of 3 field goals).

As Robinson has mentioned before,  part of his problem that day 33 years ago, like many performances in bowl games, was being removed from a routine during the off period between the regular season and postseason.

It's little wonder college football bowl games were initially treated and regarded as merely exhibitions.

Anyway, despite resulting in a loss, I found some good clips - ALL of them in the game's first 35 minutes - of a band of overachieving Bulldogs that I mostly only knew of beforehand from my research.  Personally, and for what it's worth, the 1978 Wonderdogs are probably my "favorite" Georgia football team of all time - and similarly to the attitude of my aforementioned friend - even if they did lose their bowl game.

Far, Far from Special

The Honey Badger's punt return for a score in the SECC
was one of eight touchdowns via returns allowed by the
Bulldogs this season - a school record you won't find
proudly listed in the Bulldog record book. 

It's certainly nothing new to declare that Georgia's special teams unit, on the whole, has been quite a disappointment this season.  Forecasted in the preseason by college football guru Phil Steele as having the best special teams in the nation, the Bulldogs, as recently mentioned by Marc Weiszer of the Athens Banner-Herald, currently rank in the bottom of the SEC in nearly every special teams category.   

Particularly, the amount of yardage Georgia has allowed per kickoff and punt return, its number of missed field goals, and total touchdowns yielded via return is each down-right distressing, especially historically speaking.

Two months ago, I posted how statistically the Bulldogs' defense was on pace to be one of the better defenses in Georgia football history.  Well, the exact opposite can be said for the same squad concerning the following aspects of its special teams unit:

AVERAGE YARDS ALLOWED PER KICKOFF RETURN (23.5): The 23.5 yards allowed per kickoff return this season is the 9th highest of any Georgia football team in 63 seasons of obtainable data (1949 through 2011).  Notably, the 1962 Bulldogs yielded a historical-high 28.9 yards, and just two years ago in 2009 (Remember that dreadful kickoff-coverage unit?), Georgia allowed 25.7 yards.  Historically, the Bulldogs have yielded a total average of 20.2 yards per the nearly 2,500 kickoff returns by opponents since 1949.  In addition, the 120 FBS teams have combined to average 21.7 yards thus far this season.      

AVERAGE YARDS ALLOWED PER PUNT RETURN (16.1): For the 2011 season, FBS teams have averaged 8.8 yards per punt return.  Since 1949, Georgia historically has yielded a similar average of 8.5 yards per return.  However, the 2011 Bulldogs are allowing a whopping 16.1 yards per punt return, or the 2nd-highest amount in school history, only behind the 18.4 average given up almost 60 years ago in 1953.

MISSED FIELD GOALS (13): The 13 combined missed field goals this season by Blair Walsh (12) and Brandon Bogotay (1) are tied for the most of any Georgia football team in 52 seasons of obtainable data (1960 through 2011).  The 1969 Bulldogs also missed 13 field goals; however, with all fairness to Jim McCullough (10) and Mike Cavan (3), their misses resulted during a time when your average major-college kicker was successful on just approximately 48 percent of his field-goal attempts. 

Since 1960, Georgia has averaged just 6.4 missed field goals per season.  Also, of the 100 FBS kickers who've made at least seven field goals this year, including Walsh, they've combined to make 74 percent of their field-goal tries while missing an average of less than five attempts for the season.  As indicated, Walsh has missed a staggering 12 attempts thus far while making only 61 percent of his field-goal tries.

TOUCHDOWNS ALLOWED VIA RETURN (8): This is likely the most startling of the four failed facets, and yes, I do realize it doesn't only concern Georgia's special teams, but whether by kickoff (2), punt (2), interception (3), or fumble (1), the Bulldogs have allowed 8 returns for touchdowns this season.  This figure is especially astounding since Georgia allowed NO returns for scores a year ago, and over the last 34 seasons (1978 through 2011), has yielded an annual average of just 1.6 returns for touchdowns.  The eight returns allowed for touchdowns is historically the most at Georgia with the five allowed by the 1994 Bulldogs coming in at a distant second. 

So, there you have it - four critical aspects of special teams play, where the 2011 Bulldogs rank as the 9th-worst (of 63), the next to worst, tied for the worst, and the worst in school history.  Similar results for two of the categories could perhaps be acknowledged as having little to no association and insignificant, but for FOUR?!? 

There lies a problem where something is undoubtedly amiss.  The solution? 

Do the Bulldogs need to hire an assistant responsible for only the special teams or, at least, should a number of high-quality players, even if they're already an offensive or defensive starter, play on kickoff and/or punt coverage as well?  Personally, I'm in favor of both, especially when the issue with Georgia's special teams, according to Alec Ogletree, is "guys kind of doing their own thing, not doing it the right way."

In Weiszer's article, Coach Richt mentioned that there will be more focus and a "high sense of urgency" on special teams come this spring, although it sure would be nice if some sort of solution came a little sooner, like by January 2nd.  This season, Michigan State has averaged 24.3 yards per kickoff return (15th in the FBS), 11.2 yards per punt return (25th), and has scored SIX touchdowns via return.

Because of poor kickoff and punt coverage, missed field goals, and/or allowing touchdowns on returns,  Georgia has already endured one loss this season (South Carolina) it otherwise would have won, while coming close to defeat on other occasions.  Simply put, let's hope there is some sort of urgency in not  giving away another ballgame to the opposition, beginning not this spring, but three days from now in Tampa. 

No Fun in the '69 Sun

Georgia's offense had a hard time moving the football,
and holding onto it, against Nebraska's "Blackshirts"
defense in the 1969 Sun Bowl.

I normally wouldn't post video footage from a 39-point Bulldog defeat, but I came across the 1969 Sun Bowl loss to Nebraska and felt the sheer fact the game is more than 40 years old made it somewhat intriguing.  Plus, the circumstances surrounding Georgia in its acceptance of the bowl bid, and how things have changed drastically since then regarding bowl invites, made for my opinion of a somewhat interesting subject (despite the second-worst setback for the Bulldogs over the last half-century).

The video below is of black and white coaches film while the audio is from Nebraska's KFAB Radio.  Except for a play here and there and clips from Georgia's lone touchdown drive, there were very few highlights, as one would imagine, from the Bulldogs' 45-6 blowout loss. 

Regarding the 1969 Georgia football team, Coach Vince Dooley would later say never had he ever witnessed a group which started so strongly struggle so mightily down the stretch.  Coming off an undefeated regular season and an SEC championship the year before, the Bulldogs opened the '69 campaign preseason ranked 8th in the nation.  After a 3-0 start, Georgia was defeated by an Archie Manning-led Ole Miss squad in Jackson, MS, but the Bulldogs responded with back-to-back wins and were sitting pretty with a 5-1 record and a No. 11 ranking entering their final four games of the regular season.

To start the month of November, Georgia could manage just a field goal in a 17-3 loss to Tennessee in Athens.  Next, the Bulldogs and the Gators battled it out in Jacksonville to what would be the last of only two ties in the rivalry's history (and come this summer, yes, you can read all about Georgia's infamous 1969 "Fifth Down" game against Florida).  The following week, the non-winning streak increased to three games with a 16-3 loss to Auburn at Sanford Stadium.  Suddenly, what once appeared to be a promising season was turning into one that was seemingly forgettable.

Yet, on November 16th - the day after Georgia's record dropped to 5-3-1 and the first day bowl bids could be extended - the Bulldogs were surprisingly invited to El Paso's prestigious Sun Bowl.  Georgia had figured that if it was going to any bowl game that year, it would be to Atlanta's second annual Peach Bowl.  In fact, following the Auburn loss, defensive coordinator Erk Russell gathered 15 seniors to vote on whether to accept an invitation if the Peach Bowl came calling.  Only about half of the voters accepted the expected invite from the Peach.  But when the Sun Bowl, which did not even scout the Bulldogs during the year, called upon Georgia, the vote was unanimous to take the trip out to El Paso for the December 20th bowl.

Based on stories they had heard from the Bulldogs' Sun Bowl trip five years before - Dooley's first team of 1964 - the players were absolutely thrilled to be playing their postseason in El Paso.  Georgia assumed it would win its regular-season finale against a Georgia Tech team that had lost six of its previous seven games.  With an expected and respectable 6-3-1 record, the Bulldogs would then play (again, in what they assumed) a winnable Sun Bowl against the winner of the upcoming Colorado (6-3) and Kansas State (5-4) game or versus WAC member Arizona State.

But you know what they say about assuming...

Dooley would say at the end of his coaching career that accepting the Sun Bowl invitation in 1969 may have been his "worst mistake" while at Georgia and had he known that Nebraska would be their opponent, the Bulldogs might have stayed home.



According to Dooley, back in those days when bowl invitations were extended prior to the end of the regular season and often with two, or even three games remaining on a team's schedule, you accepted a postseason invite as early as possible.  Take LSU, for example, in that very same season.  In 1969, the Tigers were SEC champions, finished with a 9-1 record and ranked 8th in the nation.  The Sugar Bowl had extended a bid but LSU turned it down; the Tigers did not want to appear in a bowl game so close to home and desired a legitimate shot to play for a national title.  By the time all the bowl invites had been given out, LSU was left empty handed and stayed home for the holidays with no bowl at all.

The Tigers, not the Bulldogs, probably should have been the SEC's representative to take on mighty Nebraska (the Cornhuskers and LSU would actually meet the following year in the 1971 Orange Bowl).  Nebraska was the Big Eight champion, ranked 14th in the country, and entered with an 8-2 record, where its two losses were to 5th-ranked Southern Cal and No. 7 Missouri. 

This '69 Cornhusker squad, which was unusually both massive in size and quick, would follow up its season performance with back-to-back national championships in 1970 and 1971.  Head coach Bob Devaney once indicated that Nebraska in 1969, by the end of its season, was actually a better team than his '71 Cornhuskers, which ended their year with a 38-6 win over Alabama in the Orange Bowl and a perfect 13-0 record.  Also, the 1971 Nebraska team years later would be recognized by The Sporting News as the greatest college football team of all time.

Georgia, on the other hand, would wind up being upset by Georgia Tech 6-0 and entered the Sun Bowl with a disappointing 5-4-1 record.  Down the stretch, injuries had dismantled the Bulldogs' offense, and was the primary reason the team averaged only 4.8 points per game in its final four contests of the regular season.  Georgia had lost senior end Dennis Hughes, at the time, the school's all-time career leading receiver and Dooley's opinion of the team's best player.  In addition, out for the bowl game were two of the Bulldogs' top three rushers - Bruce Kemp and Craig Elrod - and most detrimental, standout starting quarterback Mike Cavan was out with the flu.

Thus, the 1969 Sun Bowl mismatched, if you will, a Georgia team, which had not won a game in nearly two months and missing all of its primary offensive weapons, versus a Nebraska squad who, according to its head coach, was playing  better than arguably the greatest college football team in history.  Prior to the game, a major newspaper suggested the Bulldogs "bow out" of the bowl, and you can probably see why.  Still, the so-called "experts" out in Vegas figured Georgia as only a one-touchdown underdog.

Filling in for the ill Cavan against Nebraska was Paul Gilbert, who entered the game having thrown six interceptions in just 33 career pass attempts as a Bulldog.  Gilbert wouldn't fare much better in front of nearly 32,000 spectators at the Sun Bowl and a CBS national audience, completing just 10 of 30 passes for 116 yards and was intercepted five times.  The junior quarterback did score Georgia's lone touchdown on a 6-yard run late in the game.

Despite a gusty wind, Nebraska placekicker and game MVP Paul Rogers made four field goals - ALL four resulting in the first quarter.  But the Cornhuskers biggest benefit was Georgia's inability to hold onto the football; the Bulldogs lost two fumbles and threw six interceptions compared to Nebraska's two total turnovers. 

"We should have been home by the fire watching Nebraska whip up on somebody else," Dooley would later say.  "What a miserable afternoon."

An Outback Comeback

In the 2000 Outback Bowl, freshman
Terrence Edwards' 74-yard touchdown
run began a furious rally by the Bulldogs.

Leading up to Georgia's Outback Bowl appearance, I'll post some historical pieces on the Bulldogs' postseason past.  The first was a bowl from not too long ago which some of you may remember well, if you happened to stumble out of bed in time to catch the game.

Only hours after we celebrated the dawning of a new millennium, Georgia kicked off at 11:07 AM in Tampa against Purdue in the 2000 Outback Bowl.  The game billed itself as the first major sporting event of the millennium as it reportedly started four minutes and 50 seconds earlier than that year's Cotton Bowl.  That fact is great and all, but if you were like me, I didn't care much for a morning football game on a January 1st.

Undoubtedly, the Dawgs must have also had a late night on New Year's Eve and appeared to be asleep in the first half as the Boilermakers raced out to a 25-0 second-quarter lead.  Behind the arm of quarterback Drew Brees, Purdue scored four touchdowns on its first five possessions.  Georgia, on the other hand, could hardly muster any offense with sophomore Quincy Carter directing the team.

However, during what appeared to be an easy blowout win for Purdue, the Bulldogs actually caught some critical breaks.  After the Boilermakers' second touchdown, placekicker Travis Dorsch missed the PAT.  This caused head coach Joe Tiller to elect to go for the two-point conversion following the third touchdown, which Purdue missed.  After the fourth touchdown, the Boilermakers went for the two points a second time and again a Brees pass fell incomplete.  At the time, the missed opportunity for three extra points seemed insignificant, but would later prove costly.

I just noticed that this entire game is being aired on ESPN Classic today at 1:00 PM. Check it out to witness Georgia's memorable comeback in its entirety.  Of course, you might want to wait until midway through the second quarter when the Bulldogs finally awoke from their stupor.

I was looking over Georgia's defense of 1999 and checkout these standouts: 

Orantes Grant, Tyrone Robertson, Jamie Henderson, Kendrell Bell, Marcus Stroud, Demetric Evans, Richard Seymour, Tim Wansley, Terreal Bierria, Josh Mallard, Charles Grant, Will Witherspoon, and Boss Bailey - all major contributors that season and all would eventually play in the NFL. 

Yet, this group of defenders, statistically, is one of the worst in Georgia football history.  In 1999, the Bulldogs ranked last in the SEC in total defense (382.6) and pass defense (278.1) and next-to-last in scoring defense (25.9).

Many blame the Bulldogs' defensive woes of '99 on Kevin Ramsey.  Remember him?  He was Tennessee's much-acclaimed secondary coach, who left the Vols following their national championship season of 1998 to become Georgia's defensive coordinator.  Ramsey's hire by Coach Jim Donnan demoted former-DC Joe Kines (the best bowl coaching clip of all time) to "Assistant Head Coach."

After the defense's performance in 1999, it was Ramsey who Donnan tried to demote to secondary coach.  And as you're likely aware, legend has it Donnan's decision would eventually cost the head coach a punch in the face during a confrontation with Ramsey.  Needless to say, the 2000 Outback Bowl was Ramsey's final game as a Bulldog, and as of this season, his last game as a defensive coordinator in college football.

Be that as it may, Ramsey's troops showed their potential the final two-and-a-half quarters against the Boilermakers, holding a team that entered ranked 8th in the nation in total offense scoreless in its final eight possessions of the game.  Meanwhile, the Bulldog offense woke up, scoring three unanswered touchdowns and two field goals en route to a 28-25 comeback win.  It remains the largest deficit in history that Georgia has rallied for a victory in a football game.  

Albeit in defeat, Brees was named the bowl's MVP, passing for 378 yards and four touchdowns on 36 of 60 passing.  Although, as far as Georgia was concerned, an argument could have been made for placekicker Dorsch as the most valuable Bulldog.  The Purdue sophomore placekicker, who ironically would eventually be a first-team All-Big Ten honoree, was 0 for 3 on field-goal attempts and, as mentioned, missed the all-important PAT try with the Boilermakers leading 13-0.

Evidently, even a placekicker can struggle and have the shakes the morning of a New Year's Day.