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Uga VII. (Courtesy: University of Georgia Athletic Dept.)
Here’s the thing: You cannot win a football game when you are facing the team that is leading the SEC in passing yards—second in the nation—and you offer the equivalent of no pass coverage.
You also cannot win football games when you cannot hold on to the ball.
It doesn’t help anything when you start throwing in a bunch of penalties, including numerous false starts and out-of-bounds kickoffs.
The UGA “pass coverage” was close to nonexistent. I don’t really know what else to say about it, other than I would imagine that tightening pass coverage will be a focus of practice again this week.
Multiple turnovers ended in points for the Razorbacks.
Foolish penalties led to punts instead of first downs—even taking away a point when a two-point conversion came back.
Every team must throw the ball at some point, and
Like any good-to-mediocre quarterback, Joe Cox can put it where it needs to be if where it needs to be is basically open. He had a great night on Saturday, but if you really look at the complexity of the throws he made, you will have to conclude that his receivers made great catches and did an awesome job making themselves open so that Cox could hit a lot of relatively simple passes. Yes, he ended up with five touchdown passes to his credit, but they were five passes he should have made—nothing spectacular beyond the number.
On the running side, yes, Knowshon Moreno is gone. But, you know, even with Moreno, Richt still did not run as often as he should have—although, admittedly, it is easier to understand how Richt was tempted to go pass-heavy with Stafford in the pocket and Mohomed Massaquoi on the receiving end.
Richard Samuel and Caleb King are not slouches when it comes to moving the ball on the ground. But, when they are only given the opportunity to run here and there, they cannot be expected to make their best possible contributions to the team. When give the chance, however, both demonstrate running talent Richt should be taking greater advantage of each week, if for no other reason than to work some time off the clock and give the defense some breathing room.
So far,
As with
Next week:
Comments
You really don't like Cox, do you? Yes, the receivers were open, as they should have been, but he actually had pretty good touch and put the ball where it should have been, as he is supposed to do. He did his job, plain and simple. We knew going in what he was going to be like. I agree with you on the pass rush. All anyone has to do to beat us is pass the ball. And we certainly wouldn't have had so much to make up if there weren't so many stinking penalties. I thought CMR took care of that. He would rather not take away their aggressiveness. 14 penalties for 93 yards? We were lucky that Arkansas made more.
Wow, congratulations to you. I don't know if I've ever read something so condescending touted as coverage of collage football. Did you even watch the game? Joe Cox has an amazing game, give him a little more credit beyond "good to mediocre". It's the third game of the season and he's gotten progressively better each time. Maybe you should stick to writing about topics you have a sincere, and unbiased opinion about.
Nah, Laurenzo, I don't dislike Cox ... I don't know Cox personally ... he's probably a great guy ... I just don't like how his role with this team this season is going to carry over for at least the next two seasons ... any competent QB could have done what he did last night ... I've never said Cox was a *bad* QB ... I just do not believe he is the QB who should be leading this team this season, regardless of his performance ... we have a QB we could be building for next season ... I think we should be using him.
Well, Kate, Joe Cox *is* a good-to-mediocre QB ... not bad, not spectacular, just an average, good-to-mediocre QB, just as most are ... thanks to some easy pass opportunities and some great receiver work, he had a great game overall last night ... as I've said for the months leading into this season, as I continue to say, it's not about Cox and whether he has a single good game or good 2009 season ... I hope, since he is in there, and looks like he's staying there, he has a great season ... but, in the end, choosing to start him over Logan Gray is hurting the team for at least two seasons down the road ... and that is my sincere, unbiased opinion ...
If Mark Richt says go with Cox then so be it.....
True enough, Dan, true enough ....
From Tim Tucker's article in the Atlanta Journal-constitution.
"The Walter Camp Football Foundation Sunday named Cox its National Offensive Player of the Week for his performance in Georgia's 52-41 win over Arkansas on Saturday night."
With fans like you, who needs enemies? I'm not even a GA fan and I think you are full of crap. When a guy bides his time over 3 or 4 year, dedicates and sublimates himself for the good of the team he should get a shot at the job when he's a senior. It's called loyalty. If he eventually fails or gets hurt put Gray in but until then be happy for the guy and quit shooting holes in a victory. Anybody seen a gift horse besides you Mechele?
It is nice to see Cox came to play and was recognized for it.
Andy, as I have stated repeatedly, in articles and replies, my opinion of Cox as the QB doesn't hinge on his abilities, or the fact that he has a good game ... the fact is that he has only one season to play, and then he moves on ... he can develop all season, then what? Next season, we have to start all over and develop (likely) Logan Gray, when we *could* get that "freshman season" out of the way this season. I hope he *does* have a good season, since that is where Richt is determined to go ... and I think it's great that he had a good game ... yes, I realize he was made National Offensive Player of the Week ... I don't argue that he does not deserve it ... but, a good game, in my opinion, still does not make him the right choice for this season, next season, and the season beyond ... it just doesn't.
Wow If I hadn't have watched the game I would have thought UGA lost from reading this article. Yeah their receivers were wide open almost every play but the defense held when they had to and UGA got a tough SEC road win. It makes sense for the future to start Logan but unlike you I'm not giving up on this season already.
Yes, the defense did a good job in places, especially considering how much time they had to spend on the field, but that doesn't change the fact that the pass coverage was close to nonexistent (remember, the Arkansas QB also had five passes for TDs), the penalties were rampant, and that a good chunk of the Razorback scoring came from Georgia turnovers.
No, Tim, I haven't given up on this year, but, looking at it realistically instead of euphorically, Georgia was playing a team on Saturday with just as many problems as they have. It wasn't Georgia's strong play that got them that win, it was just that they didn't shoot themselves in the foot quite as badly as Arkanas.
Georgia got one in the SEC win column, yes, but it was far from convincing, in my opinion. To keep it in the "W" column, Georgia is going to have to tighten up in every area ....
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