The Classic City Canines got back on track Saturday afternoon with a 35-14 drubbing of Kentucky. Going away from a Saturday in America’s greatest college town, here are ten thoughts from Athens and a few other glances.
1. This game had a purpose, and that goal was met. No, this game was not about going viral with a highlight-reel play or performance. It was all about getting things back on track and doing them reasonably well. This Kentucky team is not on the level of what you had a few years ago,
and the Lexington vibes are not good given the recent-years flirting by Mark Stoops with outside opportunities. After an emotional loss, you need things to happen that make you feel better going into the second third of the season, and Saturday’s win did that.
2. Does this team know its offensive identity? Going back to the Tennessee game, it seemed like getting Gunner Stockton rolling out to make plays with his legs or even on designed runs appeared to loosen both the offense up and also had a feel that it helped Stockton get in a rhythm. That faded against Alabama, but the fact that Georgia got a pair of early scores by way of Stockton’s mobility? That’s something that going ahead you’d hope is a feature of this offense and not an afterthought.
3. As expected, it looks like Chauncey Bowens is RB1 for the Georgia Bulldogs. His hard running last week helped that cause, and he led the way in touches and yards with 15 for 70 yards against the Wildcats. If Georgia wants to indeed play “man ball,” then Bowens’ running style fits perfect. At the same time, it was good to see Nate Frazier get into the mix. His alternate running style is an x-factor, and just because fumblitis still lingers for him does not mean that he should be cast aside. Between these two, Cash Jones, Dwight Phillips and Josh McCray, the feature of this running back room is multiple guys that can do different things. The challenge, of course, is figuring out how to best use them.
4. Speaking of running backs, few moments on Saturday were more of a feel-good moment than late in the third quarter when Jones took it into the end zone for a score. Through no fault of his own, Jones was maligned for his role in the 4th and one play, and that should not fall on him – it was just a case of a victim of bad circcumstances. Cash Jones is as blue-collar as skill players come on this team, and it was good for him to get his big highlight moment on Saturday.
5. It’s time to face the fact. This offensive line is never going to be fully healthy. At one point Saturday, you had Micah Morris, Monroe Freeling, and Earnest Greene all hurt in some way, either out of the game or fighting through ailments. The easy way out would be to use these as excuses. But this season is in its second month. By now, there is no such thing as ‘not enough experience.’ That’s why you put an emphasis on recruiting for the future and for the now. There’s only one option – you have to adapt to who can play and get the job done. If these injuries do impact what this team does offensively, it does impact…
6. Backup quarterback Ryan Puglisi. You do have to assume that the time may come where Stockton could be injured and need replacing, and any game-time snaps a backup gets are key, even in mopup duty. It was good to see the Dawgs’QB2 show off his rocket arm and run tempo once he got in the game. But if there is ever any desire to rotate QBs to spark the offense, the state of his offensive line’s health has to be a factor.
7. After last week’s first half, this defense needed a big bounce back. Stopping the run and forcing UK to rely on the lesser of its strengths and pass it more played right into that agenda. On three of Kentucky’s first four drives, they were held to a paltry 23 yards. Yes, the touchdown drive gave Kirby Smart lots of teachable moments to hone in on this week, but as a group, the defensive showing overall was a step toward the right direction.
8. Before Dabo Swinney at Clemson, there was Tommy West, who did just enough to extend his tenure, staving off calls to get rid of him by winning a game the Tigers were not supposed to win, making it harder to justify firing him. Down in Gainesville, Billy Napier is stealing that blueprint. Last year’s bad start had Napier pre-fired, then a few late-season wins, notably against LSU and Ole Miss bought him some more time an even goodwill. This year? A bad loss to USF brought back the buzzards to circle until Saturday, when Florida further exposed why one should not overhype quarterbacks from small high school leagues in Louisiana that play lesser competition.
This is on the level of if Georgia Tech would have kept Geoff Collins around. Imagine being a Florida fan right now. You want Napier gone, but you can’t get rid of him for now after a win against Texas. All of that guarantees Napier is not fired mid-season, which is good news for Georgia this November on the banks of the St. John’s River.
9. First off, James Franklin losing to a bad UCLA team is hilarious. But don’t think for a second he knows he is doing with him pointing out travel being a factor in Saturday’s loss. You also saw Dan Lanning point out travel last week across the country being an obstacle to overcome. If you don’t think that the legacy college football media is not going to carry water for Big Ten teams on the playoffs bubble and use travel as an excuse, then I don’t know what to tell you.
10. Auburn’s offense has looked messier than an over sauced pulled pork sandwich. But the Tigers get the Dawgs at night next week and are coming off an off week to prepare. Let the Munsoning begin.
Go Dawgs!
