2010 Georgia Bulldogs

The 8-5 season the Dawgs had in 2009 will easily be viewed as the worst of the Mark Richt era. Even in his first season in 2001, he finished a game better. There were several games you can look back at that would have drastically changed the view. The first game at Oklahoma State, Quarterback Joe Cox played with the flu, combined with the fact that Oklahoma State’s best player played illegally in that game, since (now) Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant would be found ineligible a few weeks later after contact with an agent.

The game that most sticks in the craw for Georgia fans last year (well, besides losing at home to Kentucky) has to be the home game with LSU, when officials made one of the worst calls of the entire college football season, calling an “excessive celebration” penalty against wide receiver AJ Green, who did absolutely nothing. It gave LSU incredible field position and they were able to win the game because of that call.

The question many are asking inside and outside of the program is whether Mark Richt, now the dean of SEC coaches, is on the hot seat. It’s hard to say. The magical number for Richt to stay safe would seem to be at least getting the team back to double digit, 10 wins. Very very possible with this roster and this schedule. Because of an embarrassing offseason incident involving now former athletics director, Damon Evans, Georgia hired Florida Associate Athletic Director Greg McGarity, who spent the last 18 years working with Jeremy Foley in Gainesville and is going to be even less tolerable for anything other than top notch performance. My guess is Georgia needs to have a vastly improved season for Richt to hold off Will Muschamp or Kirby Smart to be the head coach next year.

Offense

Quarterback

The scariest and most unknown part of this offense is redshirt freshman Aaron Murray. Murray was a top 3 Quarterback recruit out of Plant High School in Tampa 2 years ago, and was heavily recruited by Urban Meyer. The kid has immense talent (far more than last year’s starter, Joe Cox, thankfully now graduated) and Murray is legend in Florida for winning the state high school championship game, playing on a broken leg. If ever a new starter was in place to succeed, with a good head on his shoulders and incredible talent around him, it’s Murray.

Offensive Line

Murray will be buoyed, first and foremost, by arguably the best and most experienced Offensive line in the country. (only Ohio State gets as high a mark from analysts). The line is loaded with veteran talent, many of whom will play on Sundays, led by All America candidates junior Ben Jones at center & senior offensive tackle Clint Boling. LT Trinton Sturdivant was supposed to be one of the best in the nation, but has lost 2 straight seasons due to injury. If he stays on the field, this will be the #1 offensive line in America, bar none. Junior Cordy Glenn & senior Josh Davis both have all SEC potential. It’s a fantastic unit – deep and very experienced. Murray will have lots of time to make plays.

Wide Receiver

The #1 target for Murray will be junior wide receiver, and the best wide receiver in the country, AJ Green. This is likely Green’s last year in Athens (since he’s a projected top 3 pick in the NFL Draft by Mel Kiper) and when Murray does go deep, he’ll be looking for #8. The receiving corps behind Green has huge potential, led by senior Kris Durham and sophomore Tavarres King. The other guys to watch for at receiver include Marlon Brown, who didn’t impress in his first year, but was a big time recruit and could break out in 2010. Rontavious Wooten showed flashes of brilliance in 2009 and is also expected to be a player. There’s a sleeper potential as super cornerback Branden Smith (another 5 star Richt recruit) could possibly play 2-way and be a big contributor. There is another sleeper in this unit: former backup quarterback Logan Gray, though injured at the moment, has apparently been very impressive since his offseason move to wide receiver. Gray is a tall, smooth, fast, player who simply wasn’t cutting it at quarterback but could break out at WR.

Tight End

The group of tight ends that Murray gets to throw to are, by far, the deepest pool of tight ends in the nation. Georgia essentially has 4 guys all of whom would be #1 TE’s on most teams. The leader of the pack is Murray’s Plant High School teammate, Orson Charles, who’s akin to a Jermichael Finley or Antonio Gates in the NFL, in that he’s such a smooth and good athlete, he’s more like a bigger, stronger, WR1. Junior Aron White last year was arguably the most consistent red zone threat for Joe Cox. White isn’t quite the athlete Charles is (very few are), but he’s also fast, big and strong and has Velcro for hands. Behind these two are junior Bruce Figgins and sophomore Arthur Lynch – again, 2 guys who would start on a lot of other teams.

Running Back

At running back, Georgia probably brings the 2nd best tandem in the SEC behind Alabama’s of Heisman winner Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson. Washaun Ealy and Caleb King broke out together for a huge 2009 season, and were especially big when it became apparent that the starter heading into the 09 season, Richard Samuel, was simply not the answer. (Samuel has since moved to linebacker). Now, as of today, Ealy was arrested for a rather stupid off field driving incident last week, but he’s only going to be suspended for the first game and will be in there sharing carries by the 2nd game at South Carolina. Behind King and Ealy is super speedy scatback, Carlton Thomas, the perfect compliment as a 3rd down alternative and change of pace option. At fullback, the Dawgs return beast Fred Munzenmaier, who’s impossible to bring down & has a knack for the end zone.

Between having the best group of tight ends, the best offensive line, the best wide receiver, and one of the best RB duos in the country, Aaron Murray has a cadre of weapons that will make his transition to first time starter a lot easier. The biggest question is in fact behind Murray. The #2 Quarterback should Murray get hurt is true freshman, Hutson Mason. Mason has impressed the Georgia staff with amazing poise, but the Dawgs have to have Murray stay on the field for a legit chance to make it to Atlanta.

Defense

The big news this offseason was the firing of defensive coordinator, and longtime Richt pal, Willie Martinez. Most Georgia fans (including myself) felt that Richt waited 1 year too long to fire Willie and his “bend but not break” 4-3 scheme. With the hiring of Dallas Cowboys defensive line coach Todd Grantham as the new DC, Georgia can get back to the attacking style of defense that can remind fans of the “Junkyard Dawgs” days of legendary coach Erk Russell, or more recently, the attacking style of the early Richt years under (now) Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Brian Van Gorder. 2 other defensive coaches were replaced as Georgia hired one of the best secondary coaches in the nation, Scott Lakatos from UConn, and Vandy’s Warren Belin as linebacker coach. Belin regularly took 2-star level linebackers at Vandy and got them to play way above their head. He’ll now have 4-star talent to work with in Athens.

Linebackers

The leader of the 2010 Defense is expected to be Junior outside linebacker Justin Houston. Houston is a big time talent and should thrive in his new role in the new defensive scheme. Also expected to step up big time in the new defensive scheme at linebacker are sophomore Cornelius Washington and senior Akeem Dent. Sophomore Christian Robinson isn’t big, but he’s incredibly fast and is also expected to breakout. Though not currently listed as a starter, Junior Darryl Gamble is a stud who will probably end up playing a ton, as he’s prone to make big plays. Belin gets to have a deep unit of guys to choose from. Junior Marcus Dowtin and Sophomore Mike Gilliam, especially, have star potential and will be weapons. Georgia’s loaded in this unit.

A sleeper in this unit to keep an eye on is former starting running back Richard Samuel. Samuel has impressed the staff with his work, since switching from offense, and his skill set is better suited here than it was at tailback.

Defensive Line

This unit will likely be led by senior Demarcus Dobbs. A consistent force on the Georgia defense, Dobbs is enjoying the new scheme and playing as well as ever this offseason. He’s expected to be a veteran leader for this unit, alongside Justin Houston.

The big news this offseason was one time offensive lineman Justin Anderson making the move to this unit. The offensive line was so deep, that Anderson filled a bigger need by returning to an area he had thrived when he was recruited by Georgia. (Anderson was a star on both the DL and the OL in high school).

The player who came out of nowhere in 2009 is now sophomore Abry Jones, who compiled some impressive numbers and should also thrive in the new scheme. A lot more is expected from once big time recruit Deangelo Tyson, though there is a question if he has enough size to be a big time nose tackle or not.

But the breakout star in 2010 is expected to be redshirt freshman Kwame Geathers. Geathers is a 6-6 monster and is expected to go out there and crush opponents in his wake. He has big time star potential. Unlike Martinez, Coach Grantham isn’t bound to playing seniors – Grantham will play the best players, so Geathers should be out there for immediate impact. His older brother Robert was a star at Georgia as well.

Though the Dawgs did lose two anchors to the NFL with the graduation of Geno Atkins and Jeff Owens, this unit has plenty of talent and the right coaching now to thrived and succeed.

Secondary

Nowhere was former Coordinator Willie Martinez’s fingerprints more apparent than the secondary. Martinez’s insistence on playing Senior Bryan Evans over more talented, younger players, was at the top of the list for why he’s no longer in Athens. Evans regularly got beat and is the last guy you want trying to deliver on a bend but not break style of defense.

The secondary lost 3 of 4 starters, but again, at least one of them shouldn’t have even been on the field. The player who is returning as a starter, junior Brandon Boykin, is an absolute stud and ball hawk and has big time all-SEC potential in 2010. Boykin is such a superior athlete, he also will continue his role as one of the best kick returners in college football. Boykin had a few highlight reel 100 yard returns for touchdowns last year. Boykin is a Dawg fans dream.

Sophomore Baccari Rambo is taking over for Bryan Evans at free safety, and what Rambo showed Dawg fans is that he probably should have started from day one last year. Rambo’s a beast and arguably the toughest guy on the team. He was stretchered off the field last year and returned some weeks later, playing again at a high level.

Georgia received a huge boost this offseason with junior college transfer Jakar “Hitman” Hamilton. Hamilton is going to start immediately and also has All-SEC potential, along with Boykin and Rambo.

The other starter in this unit is senior Vance Cuff. Cuff is a solid player who hasn’t started before, & could thrive with new coach Lakatos, but Cuff is also the most susceptible to being challenged by sophomore Sanders Commings, a big time talent in his own right.

The X-Factor is sophomore Branden Smith. Smith was a 5-star recruit who will be a jack of all trades for Georgia – punt returns (where he excelled), the secondary and may possibly start, and wide receiver where has the potential to be the 2nd best player there behind AJ Green. When Richt & offensive coordinator Mike Bobo occasionally tried the now popular “wildcat” formation last year, it was usually involving Branden Smith or Logan Gray.

Special Teams

No team in America has a better kicking combination than Georgia, with punter Drew Butler (son of legendary Georgia kicker Kevin Butler), the winner of the Ray Guy award in 2009, and junior Blair Walsh, had an incredible 2009 season, kicking 20 of 22 field goals and was a finalist for the Lou Groza award.

The Walsh-Butler combination is easily the best combo in the country, and arguably the best combination of kickers in Georgia Bulldogs history. The only school that has close to this type of combo is UCLA.

As for the return game, Branden Smith and possibly Logan Gray will share kick return duties (both did very well in 2009) and Brandon Boykin will once again electrify stadiums across the south with his work as the punt returner.

Schedule

Georgia’s schedule is considerably easier this season, with Miss. State replacing LSU from the SEC West, and Colorado replacing Oklahoma State as one of the two big out of conference games. Furthermore, one of the dangerous opponents is Arkansas and they come to Athens a week before they head to Tuscaloosa, so there’s a good chance the Hogs will be “looking ahead”.

Of the 12 Game schedule, I am predicting 10-2 this year for several reasons. I am also going out on a huge limb and calling for a Georgia win in Jacksonville this year. The pre-season #23 ranking is silly. All it shows is the analysts have forgotten about us because of a down year. Please re-read my analysis. Georgia is loaded with veterans and stars on both sides of the ball and with the upgrade in defensive coaching, we won’t see the mental breakdowns this year.

Florida has a ton of new talent coming in, but the Gators lost a ton of starters on defense, arguably their 3 best players on offense (including Tebow) and as good as John Brantley might be, the #4 pre-season ranking is based solely on what the Gators have done the last 3 seasons. They’ve earned this overhype, but Georgia is a much more experienced team coming back and with the Dawgs offensive line, Florida will have a hard time getting to Murray.

My gut instinct for the 2 losses will be as follows: First, the home game to Arkansas in week 3. I still think we can win it, because it’s at home and Arkansas is questionable on Defense. However, Ryan Mallet is probably the best Quarterback in the country this year and it will only be our 2nd game under the new staff. There will be growing pains. One result could be a Game 3 loss to the Hogs.

The other loss I am predicting is the Auburn game. While I think Auburn, like Arky, is overhyped and has Quarterback question, based on the history of this series, it’s shocking that we’ve won 4 straight and neither school stays winning every year for too long. Plus, Gene Chizik has infused a ton of new talent in Auburn and will now be in his 2nd year. The Auburn game is the other loss.

But I am predicting a perfect 5-0 in the East which puts Georgia in Atlanta for the first time since 2005. We could end up with 8 wins again and people laughing at the notion, but you simply can’t ignore what Georgia brings to the table this year. Phil Steele thinks so, too. I think the Dawgs run the table in a weak East, win the 2 cupcake games of course, win at Colorado (which I will be attending in person October 2nd) win the annual game with the way, way overhyped bugs (Georgia Tech and Paul “Manboobs” Johnson…we own your fat ass) win what will be a tough game with Miss State – and take a 10-2 team to Atlanta as underdogs against Alabama in the Dome.

What this also means (if I am correct) is that Mark Richt will be removing himself from the hot seat. Even if we lose in the Dome, my prediction is Georgia is either 12-2 or 11-3 after all is sad and done (including the Bowl game) and I feel tremendous confidence in this prediction. 11 or 12 wins by the end easily puts 2009 behind us and re-affirms Georgia as one of the top 4-5 conference powers this year.

–Alex R.