14 in 14: Georgia
“Dawgs on top” is what they say in Athens. But in spite of elite recruiting classes and high rankings, the top has eluded UGA for a long time. What’s the state of Kirby’s program?
By: The Waco Kid
Georgia year in and year out are contenders in the SEC East, the little annoying brother of the West. Each year, just like the mosquitos that plague the top towns in the East division, the Florida’s and Georgia’s of the world pester the top 5 teams in the nation and sometimes leave them with an irremovable pockmark on their schedule due to an unexpected sting (win) and make you wonder, is the SEC really better than everyone else? The answer is Yes. If Georgia or Florida played, I don’t know, let's say Texas’ schedule, would they be in the playoffs every season? I think we all know the answer. Unfortunately, the East has to pay their dues to the West and most of the time are unable to come out on top.
The SEC is like investing in cryptocurrency such as Dogecoin, you know it will come out on top at some point, you just have to wait and see what exact coin produces and who else screws the pooch.
Georgia fans refusing to sell on Kirby and taking on all haters.
State of the Program is...on the Mark “Richt”er scale but moving up; 10/12 biscuits
The Richter scale is a measurement of the strength of earthquakes, while the Mark “Richt”er scale measures the devastation a team can incur by only winning games they’re supposed to without actually winning any significant games. Georgia has registered high on the latter for as long as I can remember. The Dawgs are always a top 10 team but for some reason have never been able to win in the most important of games. Those in Athens thought this problem would magically disappear with the dismissal of Mark Richt, but Kirby Smart seems to be facing the same dilemma as his predecessor. Is it the curse of playing for the top conference in the nation or is it an inevitable right afforded to all UGA fans to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune?
Kirby continues writing the Shakespearean tragedy that is UGA Football.
Well, I am here to tell you that the Tide is turning (pun intended). Nick Saban and the West have been able to best the opposing division 11 out of the past 12 years, with the East’s only conference title coming from a Georgia victory over Auburn in 2017. Which means the East is due for an SEC title and next year is the best shot they’ve had in a while. The Dawgs return quarterback JT Daniels as well as an impressive pass-catching unit, led by my personal favorite Darnell Washington. Add in a crowded running back room filled with talent and you have an offense that could look like the 2020 Florida Gators, but with a defense that can actually stop a second-grader from running rampant. This combination could prove difficult for top West teams, all of which are having to use first-time starters at the QB position. The Dawgs open the 2021 season on September 4th against Clemson and I, for one, will have Georgia on My Mind and in my pocketbook.
What went right in 2020
Who would have thought the crowning achievement of Georgia’s 2020 football season would be a Peach Bowl victory over CINCINNATI? It was a hell of a year, full of the unexpected, none more surprising than how close of a game Cincy played the boys from Athens. A loss for UGA could have been detrimental to the program. But they outlasted the Bearcats with a couple of 4th quarter field goals and a Zamir White 9 yard TD, proving there is still some heart left in the Dawg. By no means was it all bad for Georgia in 2020, I mean c’mon they finished 8-2. For most teams throughout the country, an 8-2 record is a great season. However, for fans it was a silent reminder of the past that will whisper the faint “what ifs” to the faithful for years to come.
The emergence of JT Daniels proved to be a monumental shift in SEC balance. This guy played in four games and threw for over 1200 yards and 10 tuddies. Daniels may be the most experienced of the conference bunch and will bring with him an explosive offense and a defense that may have filled its holes in the offseason through the transfer portal. The Dawgs are returning WR George Pickens, which coaches are optimistic will be able to play at some point during the season, Darnell Washington (The Greatness from Vegas), and RB Zamir White. The Red and White showed off even more talent in the spring game with WR Adonai Mitchell taking the reins as the new number 1 for Daniels, recording 105 yards and a TD throughout the scrimmage.
JT Daniels and Darnell Washington this year?
This looks like a Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense. The quarterback may not make the craziest of throws but is smarter than everyone on the field. With a supporting cast that cannot be easily replicated, Georgia may have a chance to take it all in 2021. And thanks to the additions of Clemson DB Derion Kendrick and top West Virginia DB Tykee Smith, the loss of six secondary players does not look quite as bad. The Dawgs are hungry and will devour the main competition in the East, but at the end of the day it all comes down to Saban and if he allows the dogs to feast or sends them out back to duke it out on the Florida Georgia line.
What went wrong in 2020
With Georgia, it is never what went wrong. It is always what did not go right. There was not a whole lot that could have been changed this past season. The Dawgs lost to a Florida team, whose offense was putting up 39.8 points per game and 509.8 yards per game, and unfortunately had to play Alabama in their cross division game. Any time you see the Tide scheduled, there is a good chance for a loss. Two top teams, two losses, one expected, one not so much. But this has been the Richt curse, unable to win the crucial games. Had Kirby been able to beat the Gators he most likely would have found himself in the playoffs for a second time.
If we really want to get down into the weeds, what went wrong in 2020 was the inability to find a starting quarterback before landing on JT Daniels. The weeks lost to the indecisiveness by coaches at the position jeopardized the whole season because there was no “guy.” Week to week there was always a question mark and it is hard for a team to rally around a player that may be gone for the next contest. On the defensive side we never saw a linebacker that lived up to the Georgia standard. I mean we are talking Justin Houston, Alec Ogletree, Thomas Davis, Roquan Smith, Leonard Floyd, and Jarvis Jones. All monsters on defense that could stop an oncoming train. Last year we witnessed top linebacker, Azeez Ojulari, who has all of the talent in the world, only record 31 total tackles for the Dawgs. That nasty defense needs a leader and it has to come from the linebacking corps.
UGA needs a backer led defense to compliment a new and improved secondary. The offense will be able to hold its own with a reliable backfield but can only go so far without a cohesive defense.
What the Dawgs need in 2021
Heart and a willingness to fight through adversity. They have the talent to match any team in the country, everything else comes from perseverance and mindset. Oh and also no penalties for squirting water on the opposing team (it never gets old).
How they can earn some extra biscuits
The Dawgs have beef with all teams throughout the country. From the SEC, to whatever Cincy plays in, there is no love for Georgia. Every year teams gun for the Alabamas, Clemsons, Ohio States (blah), and Georgias of the world. To earn extra biscuits they can either embrace this sentiment or run from it. So in short, as the all-knowing Lil Wayne once said, “If you got beef I’ll put the biscuit on the patty.”
Did we get it right? Completely wrong? What’d we miss? Chip us on Twitter @biscuitsandsec.
Next up:
Texas A&M