Let's look at the stats for the 2008 Georgia Crew:
- Knowshon Moreno - Moreno is currently second in the SEC in rushing yards per game at 115.6, and he leads all SEC backs with 12 touchdowns. He is 14th nationally in rushing yards and tied for 6th in TDs nationally.
Across a 13 game season, his numbers project to 1,503 yards and 19 TDs on the ground. The UGA records is 19 rushing TDs by Garrison Hearst in 1992 (in 11 games). The SEC record is 23 by Tim Tebow (in 13 games).
If Moreno averages just 82 yards per game for the rest of the season, he will pass Thomas Brown and Rodney Hampton for 4th place on the career UGA rushing yardage list. He would have to average 152 yards per game to catch Lars Tate for 3rd place on the all-time UGA list (assuming 13 games. If we get to the SEC title game, he would only need 127 yards per game to catch Lars). Granted the seasons are longer now, but that's not too shabby for just two years of work.
- A.J. Green - AJ has 39 catches for 662 yards and 5 touchdowns. Across the SEC, he is ranked third in receptions per game, first in yards per game and I think he's tied for third in receiving TDs.
Across a 13 game season, his receiving numbers project to 1,075 yards, 8 TDs and 63 receptions. The UGA single season records for yards (1,008 by Terrence Edwards in '02), receptions (76 by Brice Hunter in '93) and receiving TDs (11 by Terrence Edwards in '02) in a season are all within reach for Green. Did I mention he's a freshman?
The Georgia freshman receiving record is 53 catches by Terrence Edwards '99. AJ is already in 2nd place on that list with 39 catches for a rookie. At this rate, he's the heavy favorite for SEC Freshman of the Year and first team All-SEC.
- Matthew Stafford - Stafford currently leads the SEC in Passing Yards per Game (243.2). He's second in passing efficiency at 145.9, and he's tied for first with 12 passing TDs. His completion percentage is up to 61.7%.
Across a 13 game season, his passing numbers project to 3,162 yards, 19 TDs and 9 INTs.
This Saturday's match-up with Tebow is obviously for the SEC East Championship and the hopes of staying alive in the national title race. But don't forget...it's also a race for first team All-SEC quarterback. Hell...SEC Player of the Year could also be won in Jacksonville by Moreno, Stafford, Tebow or Harvin.
See Also:
- -- SEC Statistical Leaders - SECSports.com
-- Tickets: Georgia vs. Florida
31 comments:
My question: what are the odds Knowshon and Stafford say for next year?
I hope Richt can talk to Moreno and say to him: Look, no one will fault you for going after millions. But you stay here one more year, you could be a Georgia legend forever.
Wishful thinking?
I don't want to think about them leaving. It's too painful.
Not really related but...The Bulldawg Blawg has its LSU highlight video up!
I think the odds of Moreno sticking around are slim. There's too much chance of career-ending injury for a RB to not cash in while he can. If he's projected 1st or maybe even high 2nd round, he'd be better off leaving.
Stafford on the other hand just defers big boy salary for a year. Stafford isn't the kind of QB that faces much of a career-ending injury threat. If he doesn't win the national title and he isn't projected top 5 or 10 overall, I could just as easily see him sticking around as I could see him leaving.
This question really got me thinking. There's not a whole lot of can't miss receivers in the country this year. Maclin and Harvin are good but they are more hybrid players than a standard WR like AJ. Crabtree is good I hear, but I honestly haven't seen enough of Texas Tech and their offense inflates his stats, imo.
Anybody got a guess on the first WR taken in the draft?
I think both are gone. You are beginning to see why stafford is projected to go #1 or #2. The line is starting to give him time to throw and he has two very good WR's to throw to. Stafford is the truth.
As to Stafford leaving, I think it will have a lot to do w/ how the draft order shakes out. If the Lions or some other dysfunctional, QB-deficient franchise holds the top pick, I could see Stafford coming back in order to avoid going to a bad situation.
As for Moreno, there is no professional advantage to a RB spending any more time in college than they have to. He won't learn anything knew about the position by sticking around, and RB's have the shortest shelf-life of any position.
PWD... Do I get a hat tip for this post I had on the DawgPost last Thursday?
http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=135&f=2343&t=3256916
I kid, I kid.
I know AJ was all world, but I didn't expect him to turn in a season like this despite the hype. Its scary to think he's only going to get bigger, faster, and stronger. And more importantly, he's going to become a better football player. Once the game slows down for him - yikes!
jayteeatworld-
Crabtree is sick. He's got great hands, runs crisp routes, and is a YAC machine. Some of that is due to their system, but he's breaking tackles left and right. He's easily the best WR in the nation. Another one to watch is Eric Decker at Minnesota.
carter-
Whoever is at the top of the draft will be terrible, one year won't change that.
My hope is that Knowshon realizes how much fun he is having as a college player. The dancing in the huddles, the "extra" enthusiasm, etc...those things don't happen in the NFL - especially not as a rookie. I also have to imagine he enjoys his off the field time in Athens.
I can't see any way he stays for a 5th year, but I could see him coming back for next year - to keep the 3-headed monster intact
It makes me sick to my stomach to say this, but they are both gone. Sitting in Tiger stadium thinking that i will only see Stafford play 6 more games made me almost tear up.
The fact that both might leave without winning a SEC title is just sickening. The 2 best individual talents of the Richt era.
Back to the original post. Zeier, Hearst and Hastings are tough to beat, but I think the current trio takes the crown. Add in MoMass as the John Taylor / Alvin Harper complement and this group trumps the 92 one. Who was the 2nd WR option that year? Hason Graham? Juan Daniels?
NOW LETS KICK THE SHIT OUT OF FLORIDA!
Everybody knows how unrealistic it is that this group stays intact for another year, but is it possible to imagine the off season hype that we'd place on the team if they somehow made the decission to stay?
My head would explode.
Beat Florida!
Fescue - I was away from my computer for much of last week, and I missed your post. Good stuff on your part.
I dont want them to leave, but the NFL opted out of the Collective bargaining agreement which should change the way salaries are for drafted players. I believe the 2009 draft is the last draft in the CBA. If they want to get paid the big bucks early, then Stafford and Moreno will have to go in next year's draft.
If I'm wrong on this let me know.
I think both of them are gone. It's looking like the NFL is going to implement the rookie salary cap after next year, so they'll both go to get their moeny while they can. Can't blame them, but it still sux.
Knowshon is gone. He's at the top of his game at a position that doesn't age well. And as much fun as he has bouncing around and talking a little smickity smack, he can do the same thing in the NFL...with an additional bazillion dollars at the ready.
We'll see about Stafford. He'll get some serious love from the NFL pundits, that's for sure.
I can't think of the last SEC QB of Stafford's caliber to leave early. He comes from a very nice suburb of Dallas, so money isn't as big as an issue for him as it may be for others. Eli and Cutler are the two most recent bona-fide pro OBS and both stayed because they both were already well off and because, quite frankly, in the south the SEC is the big leagues, not the NFL.
So I think Stafford stays. Knowshon, I'm 50/50.
Don't forget to factor in CMR and how much his players love him. Did you notice the huddle before the 4th quarter? Lundquist and Danielson both commented on how impressive it was to see everyone's eyes locked on CMR.
Why are you even bringing this up? Before we crown everyone, why don't we go out and beat Florida first?
Every season we do this. We win a couple games and get big heads, and then get whooped. Let's make sure that doesn't happen twice this season before we start to talk about how awesome we are.
I don't think having a triplet even matters unless you make the title game.
Chris.
If I only talked about beating Florida, the blog would have 1 post a week.
"Win this game. Or nothing else matters."
Maybe that blog would be better than this one. But I somehow doubt it.
lol.
Paul,
I'm just trying to say, before we anoint Stafford/Moreno/Green as the kings of college football, let's win some more games. There is no reason to go into this game with a big head.
3 words...
Stafford jump pass
Zeier, Hearst & Hastings is the best comparison. Green is more explosive than Hastings was. Hearst was every bit as dynamic that season that Knowshon is now; he was incredible and should've won the Heisman. Zeier/Stafford are even in my eyes.
Please no jump pass. I live in FLA and have to deal with FLA fans. I think that pass is bush league. Let FLA keep it.
Chris - It's really crazy that all the players and coaches read this blog daily.
After this post, I'm hearing that "The Triplets" are going to mail it in this week. They now have no yearning to beat florida...or anyone else on the remainder of the schedule.
Thanks a lot PWD. You just cost us the season!
hobnail,
you said:
"carter-
Whoever is at the top of the draft will be terrible, one year won't change that."
All the teams @ the top of the draft are obviously by definition bad teams, but not all are bad franchises. There is a difference.
Besides, I seem to remember Archie not wanting Eli to go to a certain franchise that had the top pick a few years ago. Looks like that worked out well for them.
jayteeeatworld,
I don't think Cutler was wealthy before turning pro. He wasn't poor, but its not like the money was something insignificant in his decision.
joel,
Granted money is always significant and tempting, especially if you saw the rookie signing bonuses this year. But it's not as if he needs to feed his family, like when Odell Thurman decided to go pro. (using the term professional loosely)
I thought the triplets were the Luckie's that played back in the mid 90s?
Wow, none of them were any good. Our program has come a long way since them. That would have been a nice story for a program like Georgia Southern, not UGA.
or the Gamecocks, who had two sets of twins.
you need human interest stories like that to keep the fans interested until the Liberty Bowl
I heard TB talking on 790 last week, and I seem to recall them talking about how after next year's draft, due to the collective bargaining agreement, that rookie contracts would not be nearly as rich as they are now.
The consensus was that Stafford would not miss out on the last year of lucrative rookie contracts in order to stay for his Senior year.
I suppose this is true, TB is a man of his word.
JPW, Julio, Coffee?
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