We play Auburn every year, and they recruit into our state as hard or harder than any rival. The decisions they make matter to Georgia. That's why I'm covering it. That...and...hell...it's December. There really isn't that much happening in Athens right now. Yes, I was at the Gala. There was little to report that would surprise you. Otherwise, I would've given some nuggets. It was very vanilla. Fun. But vanilla.
Back to Auburn. Auburn was dumb to fire Tuberville. That was my position before hiring Chizik, and it's my position now. They tried to cure the wrong disease. The disease wasn't Al Borges or Tony Franklin or Tommy Tuberville. Auburn's core ailments are the lack of a big time quarterback, penis envy related to Alabama, and a lack of self control. Everything else is simply a symptom.
If Tuberville had been left alone to fix the Franklin symptom and recruit a QB, most things would've settled back down to their normal dysfunctional levels on The Plains.
Their best hope for fixing the QB problem was Raymond Cotton, a four star QB prospect from Maryland. This is what Cotton's father thinks about the Chizik hire (source: Rivals.com):
"As a parent, my comment is Auburn did nothing to prove to me they want to be a winner."Auburn is on the cusp of blowing themselves up. It's hard to really screw yourself up as badly or as quickly as they seem intent on doing without sanctions. We benefit from this. And until Chizik names his staff, it will still be a source of interest to me. I hope it will continue to be a source of interest to you as well.
...
"I know about Chizik's good background with Auburn, but I look at Auburn as being on the same level with the Floridas and Georgias, a top 10 school in the country. It's a big-time program," said Cotton, Sr. "And then we go out and hire a guy that has five wins over the last couple of years. That definitely brings some concern. I don't know if there is a lot of confidence there from me as a father."
PWD
24 comments:
PWD, how many SEC schools face a "locked in" opponent every year from the opposite division like we do Auburn?
Completely agree about the coverage. It's something to read and think about other than a hugely disappointing 9 and 3 season. If you were covering say the Syracuse job hunt with this much ferocity, I would be a bit more on the fence.
Sports Dawg-
Each SEC school has one "locked in" opponent every year. They are as follows:
Florida - LSU
Georgia - Auburn
Kentucky - MSU
South Carolina - Arkansas
Tennessee - Alabama
Vanderbilt - Ole Miss
Paul, don't let the back-seat drivers tell you what to post or not post about. Auburn is an annual rival, their recruiting fortunes (or lack of same) directly impact ours -- this is a big deal for Bulldog Nation. And it could be a very good thing for Bulldog Nation if this hire is as big a pooch-screwing as everyone seems to think it is.
AWESOME ARTICLE!
PWD,
If crackin' on auburn is wrong, I don't wanna be right.
South Georgia Dawgs hate everybody!
PWD,
I enjoy the Auburn coverage and I didn't want to sound like the other guy who complained and requested Gala coverage. I just thought the post with the quotes wasn't as strong as some of the other stuff, but I see you point about hiring an AU man.
So interesting thought... could the fact that Bradford won the heisman make Stafford stay around to be the number one pick? In terms of just straight cash, being the number one versus number 5 could be the difference in coming out this year or next...
No, since next year there will likely be a rookie cap, which means he'd make far less money than almost all the players who go in this season's top 10 will.
Ryan -- First of all, we don't know if Bradford is coming out. Second, even if he does, Stafford is probably still the #1 pick as the most "NFL-ready" (whatever that means).
Wikipedia says only Carson Palmer of the last 20 Heisman winners was a #1 overall pick (assuming Tebow isn't, which he won't be). Looking at the list of recent winners, you'd have to go back at least that far to find a legitimately successful NFL QB (maybe Testaverde in '86? Jury's still out on Palmer and Leinart.). So I don't see why the Heisman matters at all for draft purposes.
The Heisman doesn't matter, Bradford's stats the last 3-4 games do. He's looked nasty.
ESPN had him at #1 overall to Detroit and Stafford #3 to KC recently. Not that their draft predictions have ever been great though.
Re $, I think it will shake out that pretty much anyone taken in the top 20 this year will shake out to have made more money than will even be possible in next years draft. Meaning if you get picked #21 this year, you would break about even getting picked #1 next year. Still, I'd rather take the money now. For someone like Knowshon who may go 25th, its not worth trying to get slightly higher money when you can just go and start playing in the pros now.
Esp with Alabama, Florida, GT as good as they are - we likely wouldn't escape two of those with a win, they all beat us and they all return pretty much their whole team. Knowshon and Stafford would be smart to leave.
Anon 7:32,
This is a picky contradiction, because I agree with you that Knowshon and Stafford have both played their last game in Sanford. But, wouldn't likely escape Alabama, Florida, and GT with more than one win among the three?
First of all, Alabama is not on our regular season schedule next year. As for Florida, UGA has historically done very well against defending national champions, which I'm fairly certain Florida will be at next year's cocktail party. Additionally, with the possibilities of UF losing both its defensive and offensive coordinators, the slight chance of Urban Cryer going to Notre Dame, and the revenge factor in next year's game, I feel pretty good about the Bulldogs' chances. And Tech? I think there's no question who the more talented team was against Tech. Our boys had just given up at this point of the season.
Maybe I'm a hopeless optimist, but I'm praying for Logan Gray to be the Tee Martin to Stafford's Peyton Manning.
FWIW re: Stafford,
Rich McKay has stated several times that the rookie cap will not affect the 2010 draft.
Also...
http://onlineathens.com/stories/121408/foo_367242650.shtml
Mayock and Lande both say that agents are selling a possible future rookie salary cap hard to underclassmen to prod them to leave school.
"The agents are telling all the kids you better come now," Lande said. "They're crushing the kids telling them, 'It's coming, you better come early.' That's why I think you're going to see a mass ive amount of kids make the terrible decision to come out early and go undrafted."
Mayock doesn't expect a rookie cap to impact the 2009 or 2010 draft classes.
Logan Gray will not be the starting QB next year. He will have to play lights out to beat out Cox. CMR will reward Cox for being a team player.
I find it amazing that people who take the time to follow UGA and it's teams, have little to no knowledge about our football schedules, or the SEC rotation for that matter.
Talking of Bama next year, and wondering who else may have a regular team from the West. And these are the folks who run rampant on message boards. No wonder they are hilarious to read most of the time.
Oh yeah, keep it up about AU and their joke of a last few weeks.
To Hell With Auburn!!!! It had to be said*
PTC DAWG, I agree totally, I just can't understand how you wouldn't know that there is a rotation in the schedule if you are an SEC fan.
Completely off subject, but I saw that Monte Kiffin made it official he's going to Tennessee. Kinda scary, he's a damn good coach. But there are decades worth of footage on his defenses. Also his defense (like UGA) requires a lot of speed players, which can be a problem if speed/tackling is lacking (See UGA). My real question is thus: How does the Tampa 2 D affect Eric Berry? I'm thinking less tackles but perhaps more interceptions. I do think it will make him less of an impact player on a play by play basis. But I do guess Kiffin is smart enough to design defenses around the best pure defensive player in recent SEC history.
Auburn's coach directly effects our football program. Anybody that does not get that, hasn't been watching football for very long, or has just moved down here from New York!
dancur,....
How does the Tampa 2 D affect Eric Berry? I'm thinking less tackles but perhaps more interceptions.
How often was John Lynch in on tackles? I see Berry in a role similar to Lynch from 5-10 yrs ago for them. But thankfully, he can leave after next year.
Anon @ 8:03
While yes, you are right Bama is not on the regular season sched, I was making the assumption that if we make it to the SEC champ they would be the opponent (likely). If we don't make it, then its because we lost to UF and probably another team. (USC?)
Did anyone notice terry bowden calling UGA the biggest disappointment of 2008(yahoo) ?This from a guy who performed oral sex on tv , trying to get the WV job.Iknow now why he can't get hired.He is every bit as smart as he is tall.BTW this wasn't a great yr, but not as bad as AU,TN,UCLA, WV, MICH,ND,CLEMSON(sorry for confusing acc with fb),ASU....
blackertai that is pure b.s..There will be no cap at least until 2011, the current contract with NFLPA expires after 2010.Knowshon will be a late 1st rounder at best.Stafford may be a top 5 , but he is not ready for NFL yet.
Post a Comment