Expectations for Georgia/Smart

IF

Sounds like a Georgia problem.

I don’t believe you believe what you are writing.

Smart has clearly elevated them to the highest level the program has been at since early 80’s.

The loss of Pickens may actually help the overal wr corp. They know what they have to do and we likely have 6-7 pf or us penalties this year 100 yards in penalties alone gone.

Anything less than 11-1 in the regular season would be a dissapointment. Clemson will be a tough game to win, but there is not another game on the schedule that UGA should lose.

If you lose to Clemson and Alabama in the SECCG, that would be a bummer, but you can't really be mad about losing to those two teams.

If UGA doesn't win the East, though, it would be a major disappointment. Kirby's seat will still be as cold as ice, but some serious rumblings would begin as to whether or not Kirby is Richt 2.0. Even if he is, though, Richt stayed at UGA for 15 years, so there is no threat to his job, imo.

What we know is, when you lose to Bama matters....

I believe The Dawgs are the favorite for the SEC this season.

Lets see if they can handle the pressure.

quote:

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If Ryan Day and Lincoln Riley don't win national championships are they also arse?

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Both of these coaches have more playoff appearances than Kirby Smart.

I'm not saying Smart is a bad coach, but Georgia has a built-in recruiting advantage like no other school but LSU. He hasn't shown that he can develop that talent into a team that is consistently top 5. In the past 3 seasons, Georgia has only 1 top 5 finish, and zero playoff appearances. IF they finish behind Florida again, it's safe to say Georgia is trending downward, and no longer one of the top 5 programs in the country.

I don't think Smart has underachieved in terms of record. But I think bigger tests may lie ahead.

I think the big question is whether conference rebalancing will make it harder for Smart lose 0-1 games during the regular season and get to the SECCG. Right now I feel like UGA fans have to feel fine. It "feels" like they're knocking on the door and a slip up and/or Alabama are all that is really keeping them from destiny.

However, if the circumstances lead to them losing an extra game a year with rebalanced divisions/pods/etc., things are going to feel different considering their talent level. Being 10-2/9-3, perhaps among a couple of other similarly situated programs in the conference, IS probably underachieving. It takes away the sense that they're an elite team who is merely blocked by a GOAT team.

But, at the same time, you're going to have an expanded playoff such that UGA - even perhaps dropping 2 regular season games instead of one - might be in a prime position to nonetheless make the playoff. So if UGA drops the recent history of getting to Atlanta but gains the ability to compete for a title nonetheless - Kirby still may not face too much pressure. Getting to the playoff over and over (even without winning it) would have to keep UGA fans feeling they're perpetually on the brink, and Smart won't feel any real pressure for so long as that is the case.

No kidding you don't play Alabama, you don't play Texas a&m, you don't play LSU. I mean, win, lose or draw, against Clemson, really doesn't matter. I could see why Georgia and Clemson agreed to play each other. The SEC East and the ACC are the same.