Image: Georgiadogs.com (2005 UGA vs. SC)
Paul's got some preseason looks at our 2008 opponents upcoming, but I couldn't wait any longer to roll one out myself. Originally, I was going to do an in-depth analysis of each team on the schedule, but I decided to provide a few things I'm looking for in each game instead. I have a couple of reasons for this.
First, most of you are hardcore Dawg fans who have already bought several of the preseason magazines because the Dawgs are ranked No. 1 in many of them. Those magazines have all sorts of information about every team, but don't necessarily analyze teams from a Georgia perspective. Second, there are people who do a far better job of team analysis than I can do. What I will provide is a set of things I look forward to about each game, either because they signal good things for Georgia or they are things we as Dawg fans enjoy.
I don't mean to insult Georgia Southern or Central Michigan, but I'm starting with Carolina. The Central Michigan game is important if only because it provides a trial run for offenses we will see later in the season.
If any of you watched the Motor City Bowl last year, you saw Dan LeFevour running the Chippewas spread offense. LeFevour is Tebow-light and the only player other than Vince Young to finish a season with 3,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards. Facing him early will help in Jacksonville and presummably against Auburn's new Tony Franklin spread.
But, the real first game of the year is Carolina in Columbia. Here's what I want to see:
#1 - 17 points or more. Since 1997, South Carolina has scored more than 16 points once in the series. That was in 2000 when Quincy gave them five picks (and even with five picks, they scored 21). In the three losses during that period, UGA has scored a single touchdown. I foresee the same Gamecock offense as we've always faced, lots of cock, but not much fire. The Dawgs need 17 points or more, from a historical perspective, to get out of Columbia with a win.
Those points won't be easy. Phil Steele has a high regard for Ellis Johnson's group and predicts that they will be greatly improved. I've even heard Steele saying that Carolina shut Georgia down last year, which is true, so this year should be even more of a challenge for the Dawgs against essentially the same personnel in Columbia. But, I disagree. Even if you take for granted that Johnson, a fine DC, will have his troops in top form under a new scheme, I think the UGA offense will be much better than what SC faced in Athens last year.
Knowshon had a big game behind what was at the time a green offensive line. Stafford was good enough to win, but his receivers kept dropping balls. Mike Moore and Tony Wilson dropped key passes that could have turned the game's momentum to the Dawgs. You didn't see much of those two guys after that game and I don't recall many drops by wide receivers in the second half of last year.
Bottom line: the Cocks will have a good defense just like last year's group, it's just that the Georgia offense will be better.
#2 - A couple of catches from A.J. Green. Everybody's heard the whispers from the practice fields. Supposedly, Green is all that he was cracked up to be based on summer workouts. Will it carry over to fall camp when the pads go on? If A.J. gets playing time in the Carolina game, gets open, and catches a couple of balls, that means the coaches, the team, and Stafford are confident in him, even as a true freshman. It also means he'll have beaten out some upperclassmen for PT. If Green, or any other receiver, can turn into a legit threat to take pressure off MoMass, we should be tough to stop. A big game here for the South Carolina native will go along way toward validating the hype and scaring some future defensive coordinators.
#3 - A pass rush. Carolina's offensive line should be solid. They have everyone back from last year except their center. Last year's line gave up two sacks to a UGA defensive line that still lacked the cohesive flash of force and speed that almost killed Colt Brennan. This year, the prospective pass rush looks like last year, a solid group of returning tackles with two question marks on the ends. If we can rush off the ends in this game and apply pressure, I'll have all my questions about the defense answered.
#4 - Lots of visor tossing.
Quinton
