re: Georgia is losing 5 seniors out of 44 4/5 star players

quote:

---

That and their Oline got plenty for Chubb and Michel in Richts last year and I think it was the same line except 1 spot.

---

The line was bad for most of 2015 too. They looked good against South Carolina that year but SC ended up being terrible. The line hasn't been good since 2014 when UGA averaged 260 rush ypg and even then they got pushed around a few times. There hasn't really been a badass alpha dog on the OL since David Andrews graduated.

Here's the issue with people saying "UGA always has talent"...yes UGA always "has talent" enough to win 9 or 10 games. No doubt about that. We routinely have a solid amount of 4* and a 5* or two on our roster. We typically under Richt would sign a ~10th ranked class, which is good! The thing that all of our rivals overlook is that that was typically good for 3rd-5th in our own conference, which is not as good. Here are the composite scores over the last 5 classes in the SEC:

2012:
Bama- 310
UF- 287
UGA- 270

2013:
Bama- 319
UF- 291
LSU- 281
OM- 275
aTm-267
AU- 267
UGA- 260

2014:
Bama- 319
LSU- 299
aTm- 278
AU- 277
UT- 274
UGA- 273

2015:
Bama- 309
UT- 285
UGA-282

2016:
Bama- 301
LSU- 291
OM- 281
UGA- 277


So you can clearly see, our "good recruiting!!!!" has never amounted to better than 3rd in our own league. Top 10 recruiting classes are good enough to win 10 games, but top 1 or 2 national classes are what win you trophies. Bama has recruited #1 or 2 for a decade and is on godmode. UF under meyer recruited multiple top 3 classes and won 2 national titles. You can try to downplay the difference in some recruiting points but those Percy Harvin/Derrick Henry types are the 1 kinda player that push you over the edge of being pretty good and being really damn good.

Now, let's see that 2016 class again:

2016:
Bama- 301
LSU- 291
OM- 281
UGA- 277

these people are true freshman. In most circumstances they may contribute to the team but aren't going to be the difference makers. But still...they help build a foundation. Now let's look at our 2017 class:

Bama- 311
UGA- 300
LSU- 260
AU- 249
aTm-247

UGA is not only recruiting better than we have EVER IN OUR HISTORY, but we're absolutely demolishing the rest of the east this year. One recruiting class is awesome but it's not necessarily going to guarantee success. You only have a bama or meyer-era UF run by stringing multiple top 3 (national) classes together in a row. And we are building on last year's incredible freshman class (eason, nauta, rochester, etc) with an ever better class. And Kirby shows no signs of slowing down. In the next year or 2 UGA should by all accounts start dominating the east.

And lastly, as others have mentioend, THE BIGGEST deficiencity in recuriing in the richt era was OL. Blows my mind, and I dont' have an excuse why, but he never recruited that area well. As we all know, you win the SEC in the trenches and you HAVE to have both lines locked down. Our DL has a ton of young talent and while our OL last year sucked eggs this class is the best OL class we've ever had and it's only going to get better.




So bottom line, the people who say "UGA has always recruited well so I don't see anything different" are simply ignorant on the topic or not being honest with themselves. UGA has NEVER recruited like this, ever, adn not in these key positions either. Last takeaway: the east is fricked.

Pretty good analysis. I don't get why the fans say 2018 is the year and not 2017. Actually both these years they should compete at a high level.

The only true question mark is OL and they have addressed it as well as anyone can not named Bama.


The seniors were not that all productive sans Maurice Smith. It's messed up where you don't have one senior you go he'll be vital this upcoming season.

Mckenzie will be missed very much so.

quote:

---

does this mean they beat tennessee? cant remember last time that happened

---

It means that the refs ignored two illegal screens and a push-off by the receiver that allow him to catch the ball in the end zone. Should have been three flags.

quote:

---

The only true question mark is OL

---

I like UGA in the East, but you guys also have a question mark about offensive coordinator. Smart could have done better than that. For that matter, it's still a question as to whether Smart can win as a head coach. I hope he can. We have common enemies at UT and Auburn and we're not really rivals, so it's actually to Alabama's advantage that UGA is strong in their division, and vice versa.

quote:

---

I don't get why the fans say 2018 is the year and not 2017

---

Because next year our OL will still be very green, our DL will still be relatively young, our K/P are in flux, and we dont' konw what we have in the return game. BUT, we should be very good.

I think people point to '18 because Eason will be a JR and should be GREAT, our WRs and TEs will/shoudl be excellent, our Ol should be ELITE, and our young defense shoudl be nationally excellent.

I agree with you though, the next 2 years should both be very good.

quote:

---

Mckenzie will be missed very much so.

---

As a PR it'd be impossible to disagree. He's replacebale as a WR.

Can you remember the last time your field didn't look like something ISIS trains on?

Shattle Fenteng. That mfer gave us high hopes he would be good and I don't think he ever saw the field.

quote:

---

I don't get why the fans say 2018 is the year and not 2017.

---

OL isn't gonna be fixed this year with so many new guys.

Fix the OL and we can compete at the highest level next season.

Unfortunately, there will be 3 to 4 starters at new positions on the OL. The chemestry might not be there for 12 games.

That is why 2018 is looking to be the year.