Looking Forward to Next Season
by heymanne on Jan 7, 2012 1:12 AM EST
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What a great year to be a Gamecock! With that said, I shall give my thoughts on next season and what it means for the program.
Let's begin with the schedule. We all have griped about it in comparison to our rival Georgia's draw, but let's look at it with some perspective. The big problem is how Georgia avoided the three best teams from the west again, which is odd to say the least, but to be honest, we can't predict how good each team will be from year to year. It's possible that Ole Miss, Miss St., and Auburn are very good next year and LSU, Alabama, and Arkansas take a dip. It's somewhat unlikely, but not out of the question. The bottom line is that we can't fault a team for it's in conference schedule so let's get over it (although the fact that UGA got to drop Bama while we picked up LSU is a perfectly valid talking point).
The great part about our schedule is that while difficult, it also comes at a great juncture in the progression of our program. Many have said that the the success of the team has come because the traditional powerhouses of the east have been down and a somewhat favorable schedule. That's not entirely false. We have had some scheduling luck. But more importantly, he have seen a great difference in the attitude and talent level of our team. With our challenging schedule, we now have a chance to prove all the haters wrong.
The most intriguing part of our team to consider going into next year is the offense and how Spurrier uses his players. He has been reluctant during the season to fully commit to a spread style offense, but as much as the loss of Alshon hurts, it is also a blessing in disguise. This will be the first season the HBC has without a big, physical go-to receiver (Rice, Cook, Jeffery). This means he'll be forced to use his smaller, faster, experienced receivers like Sanders and Byrd in the passing game, and getting them in space. Injuries this year also forced us to get younger guys involved and will improve our depth. Wilds and a healthy Lattimore will provide a dangerous rushing attack in addition to an improved Shaw (as talented as Garcia was, I'd take Shaw's consistency and decision making over Garcia's huge peaks and valleys any day).
The defense loses some big names, but should be able to fill the holes well. Quarles and Hampton played very well most of the year and should fill in for Ingram and Gilmore seamlessly. In addition, I expect the experienced Holloman to vacate Allen's spot and up and coming Brison Williams to replace Holloman. We get Akeem Auguste back as well at the other corner spot.
All in all, we have an offense that could be great if coached properly, and a defense that shouldn't fall off very far. Couple that with some improved special teams play and we can be very good again. The point is that we should not worry about our rivals. Take care of a difficult schedule, win 2 of our 3 toughest games, and prove to everyone else that our success isn't a product of everybody else's failures. The future is very bright here and going 10-2 again shouldn't be a disappointment, but a confirmation that our Gamecock football team has finally arrived as a consistent contender in the conference race. All the rest is gravy.
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So
If we beat the big three in the east again, go 5-0 and somehow lose the division due to scheduling, how would you feel about that? We have a legitimate gripe about the scheduling, all things are not equal again. Look, reasonable people do not agree with you and the uga faithful on your assessment of the schedule, ESPN was laughing out loud about it and Athlon gave uga the easiest schedule in the SEC, enough said. It is possible that Ole Miss, MSU and Auburn are good next year and Alabama, LSU and Arky are down next year, what are you smoking??
I think the offense will be better next year with year number 2 in the Shaw regime. I actually think it might be better without AJ to a certain degree as the younger faster receivers mature and Roland makes his presence felt. I hope Miles comes back as Lattimore is a huge question mark as it sometimes takes more than a year to recover from major reconstructive surgery. The defense is another story, I think there will be a significant drop off from this year especially with Gilmore going and all the seniors departing. I hope that I am wrong but we can not expect the same from the d next year as we did this year. All in all, we will have another good year it is yet tbd if it is great, but I predict we will be uga for a third year in a row and clemsux for a fourth. Sorry so long winded.
Go Cocks!
Nobody loses "due to scheduling"
UGA has the easiest schedule in the SEC next year. USC has a more difficult draw. It is what it is.
by first and thom on Jan 8, 2012 10:29 PM EST up reply actions
Which is easy enough for y'all to say
when you’re on the receiving end.of Uncie Mike’s largesse.
Here's a health, Carolina, forever to thee! UNIVERSITAS CAROLIN MERID. 1801 Emollit mores nec sinit esse feros (Ovid)
It's easy to say because it's true.
You guys are good enough to win the East, but will have to prove it.
“Uncle Mike’s largesse,” as I understand it, is one game: UGA, in order to pick up Missouri, got its scheduled home leg against Ole Miss instead of its anticipated away leg against Alabama. That’s a big swing, but it’s a one-game swing. One game won’t change the East race against the winner of this year’s game in Columbia: if your guys win, you can still lose to LSU and hold on to first place.
I’ve never heard that playing the UGA/USC game in September was inherently favorable to USC. Why is it a “gift” to UGA to move that game back? Isn’t USC going to be breaking in a new DC, new DTs, new WRs, and many talented freshmen? And if playing the game in September somehow intrinsically helps USC, then UGA would have cause to complain about all of the previous years when we played that game earlier on the SEC schedule.
It sucks for USC that Arkansas is really good right now while Auburn is weak, but that’s the product of long-running team evolution, not one-year scheduling quirks. Heck, sub-par seasons out of UT and UF are helping both of our teams, and Vandy is poised to be a beneficiary of their decline as well.
And I just find the whole conspiracy angle to be rather thin. Other than this one schedule (and really just one game on one schedule), where’s the evidence of a league-office system to help UGA at USC’s expense? Doesn’t Occam’s Razor cut against this argument?
Again, I’m not disputing that UGA appears to have a much easier schedule than USC. What I don’t get is the angst about it.
by first and thom on Jan 9, 2012 9:09 AM EST up reply actions
You dont raise bad arguments, first
frankly the argument is played out on both sides. I probably shouldn’t have bitten on your post … as you said, it is what it is. We’re not leaving the league. For 2012, both USC and UGA are the teams to beat … we’ll see if UF makes an upswing; Vandy is on the rise but still lacks depth; while UT and UK look like they’ll be mired in an least another year of mediocrity.
Here's a health, Carolina, forever to thee! UNIVERSITAS CAROLIN MERID. 1801 Emollit mores nec sinit esse feros (Ovid)
Here, here.
Let’s rest up, enjoy roundball season, and kick the crap out of each other in the fall. It’s going to be a good one in Columbia.
by first and thom on Jan 9, 2012 2:32 PM EST up reply actions
baseball is the only roundball of note, as far as i'm concerned. aargh, 2 months till pitchers and catchers.
Braves.
Falcons.
Gamecocks.
Don't pitchers and catchers report in February?
Or was that just Camp Leo? Being January, actual live baseball does start soon. Spring Training for MLB is in March, while college baseball gets going in mid February. So you’ve got a month and a half, at most, until baseball gets going.
http://sportsandgrits.com/
by Mr. Sanchez on Jan 10, 2012 10:38 AM EST up reply actions
True. I've been in a bit of a hazy daze since Christmas.
Braves.
Falcons.
Gamecocks.
And if UGA is throwing it's weight around the league office
wouldn’t the first order of business be removing the Georgia Tech grad running officiating? Imagine if you will Carolina fans, that job in the hands of a Clemson grad. Now tell me about bias.
http://sportsandgrits.com/
We elected a CU governor
and the guy who ran against her is a Tater too. I’m not ready to concede the point that you walk naked in the halls of power in Birmingham, but then no one gives a damn what I say at work (or at home) for that matter, either. McGarity really ought to do something about a Techie running the officiating, however, grins …
Here's a health, Carolina, forever to thee! UNIVERSITAS CAROLIN MERID. 1801 Emollit mores nec sinit esse feros (Ovid)
You meaning UGA
not, you know, you personally!
Here's a health, Carolina, forever to thee! UNIVERSITAS CAROLIN MERID. 1801 Emollit mores nec sinit esse feros (Ovid)
Elected officials is a different subject
so you’d be happy with a Clemson grad being in charge of all refs for SEC football games?
http://sportsandgrits.com/
It would be par for the course
but I expect Georgia would use your Security Council veto to prevent such a calamity! Heh. As far as the Tech guy – he’d be easy enough for y’all to flip – set him up on date with a girl from Athens and you’d own him for life (jk). The Clemmer would be far too rascally to fall for such an obvious ploy.
Here's a health, Carolina, forever to thee! UNIVERSITAS CAROLIN MERID. 1801 Emollit mores nec sinit esse feros (Ovid)
Thanks
for acknowledging the obvious, except that you missed the caveat of two years in a row. We are the true SEC East champs, period, we just can’t beat Arky. Loved hearing Greenberg pointing out Petrino’s exit this am from the ATL as disgraceful.
That’s right for any Arky homers hear, your coach is disgraceful!
by wilmywoodcock on Jan 9, 2012 4:37 PM EST up reply actions
As tryp says below
last year was the natural rotation of the schedule. So whine about that all you want. Next year was a special one-off situation trying to work something out on the fly, with Slive and all the SEC trying to figure something out that was going to be better for some than others.
As for…
We are the true SEC East champs, period, we just can’t beat Arky
SEC East champs, except when done by the method the SEC actually uses to determine the East division champion. The difference wasn’t just Arkansas. If that was it, South Carolina would be SEC East champs. But they lost to an Auburn team that wasn’t very good, and got humiliated by a common opponent in Georgia. That’s kind of the difference between SEC East champ, or some moral victory you can cry about.
http://sportsandgrits.com/
Oh Clown!
Yes, we should have beat Auburn, and as you astutely noticed Auburn was not very good last year nor will they be very good this year. Chizik was a one hit wonder with a paid professional at QB.
Moral Victory-USC 45 uga 42. You can cry until next October 6 when we will beat you again.
by wilmywoodcock on Jan 9, 2012 4:46 PM EST up reply actions
Good analysis
But I disagree on a few points:
1. While I’ve tried to be light-hearted about the scheduling, it has to be more than just a coincidence that UGA received a gimme schedule (their second in a row), while we get slammed with the hardest one in the East. I don’t have a complaint with UGA’s 2011 schedule, since it was the natural result of a decade-long rotation …. just like our 2011 schedule. But this year the SEC powers-that-be intentionally monkeyed with schedules (for one year only we’re told) and gave UGA two gifts … no West Big 3, and USC moved back to October … while simultaneously giving two Big 3 West teams to USC (Ark, LSU), while no other East team gets more than one – and Vandy get’s the same gift as Georgia. It’s legit to gripe about 2012 because the rules were changed.
2. With DL Moore, KJ Brent, Lamar Scruggs and Shamier Jeffery, we’re still going to have physical, big-body WRs. That’s before recruits Roland, Smith and Fuller are taken into account.
3. You’re right that anything is possible vis-a-vis the strength of opposing schedule, but Arkansas and LSU are not almost certainly not going to dip, Zach Mettenberger has all the makings of an all-SEC QB; the Cotton Bowl champions Hogs will get back all-SEC RB Knile Davis.
Here's a health, Carolina, forever to thee! UNIVERSITAS CAROLIN MERID. 1801 Emollit mores nec sinit esse feros (Ovid)
You are too nice
The schedule is a joke and everybody knows it except the uga faithful and this guy.
Interesting point about the bigger wrs, but I think that with AJ gone, Shaw and the offense can stop finding ways to get AJ the ball which bogs down the offense and gives the opposing defense a focal point. With many wrs in the equasion, Shaw can look for other options until a number one develops next year.
by wilmywoodcock on Jan 7, 2012 10:09 AM EST up reply actions
I don't know, wilmywood ...
I think heymanne is trying to keep a positive perspective. We’ve bitched all we can, but we’ve got not to choice be to play it out. When he says “we can’t fault a team for their conference schedule” he’s right – we can’t really “fault” UGA – where I get chippy is when they try to deny they’re getting a benefit, or they deserved it from pre-2012 schedules (which were part of the old rota), or that they don’t have any influence in Birmingham, etc. Like I said, we have a legit gripe, but we have to win anyway, so we might as well accept that mindset. Just my .02. With any luck, they’ve at least gotten the message in the league office that there has to be some attempt at scheduling parity with the new rota is established for 2013.
Agree with your post above about Shaw’s second year as a starter. The tools look like they are there for him to be a decent passer and an extremely effective game-manager of the zone-read offense. I hope you’re wrong too about the D. Losing Ingram is a big blow, but we’ve got to hope Taylor, Quarles and Clowney can make a seamless transition – Clowney looks to have a blow-out year; Vic Hampton and Jimmy LeGree look like solid CBs, and we’ll have last year’s red-shirts and this year’s recruits to help fill the gaps.
Here's a health, Carolina, forever to thee! UNIVERSITAS CAROLIN MERID. 1801 Emollit mores nec sinit esse feros (Ovid)
Ugh - poor editing
I meant to say “we’ve got no choice to play it out”.
Here's a health, Carolina, forever to thee! UNIVERSITAS CAROLIN MERID. 1801 Emollit mores nec sinit esse feros (Ovid)
Absolutely
They deny they are getting the benefit and that is my beef also. His talking points are the same as many of the uga fans, which gets under my skin.
I’ve said the same, play it where it lies and win anyway!
by wilmywoodcock on Jan 7, 2012 11:02 AM EST up reply actions
I'll try and be more specific on that point
How many people expected Miss St to go 9-4 last year? Or Vandy to go 6-6 this year. What about Tennessee going from a national powerhouse to bottom of the barrel in a few short years? And remember, just a few seasons ago, Bama was 6-6. The point is that we can’t control how good or bad teams will be each season and we can’t fault Georgia for their conference schedule in that regard. On the other hand, I completely agree that Georgia did get some questionable breaks. Like us having to drop a return game with Miss St and picking up LSU while Georgia gets to forget about picking up Bama and keeping their game with Ole Miss. That’s a bunch of crap. But we can’t do anything about it now, and succeeding against a tough schedule will prove to our doubters that our team is improved rather than we have only benefited from other teams’ unforeseen falloffs.
No-It is out of the question.
“..we can’t predict how good each team will be from year to year. It’s possible that Ole Miss, Miss St., and Auburn are very good next year and LSU, Alabama, and Arkansas take a dip. It’s somewhat unlikely, but not out of the question.”
These are uga talkling points. It is out of the question that Alabama, Arkansas and LSU will not be good next year. LSU and Alabama will be back in the top 5 and if uga had to play either they would lose. Auburn is clearly headed in the wrong direction. The initial reaction to Chizik was correct, they paid Newton and caught lightening in a bottle. Ole Miss, enough said. MSU will be competitive but not explosive.
But I do agree, win anyway.
by wilmywoodcock on Jan 8, 2012 8:54 AM EST up reply actions
To be honest, wilmy
I think you’re using too broad a brush in painting heymanne as espousing UGA talking points. I can;‘t remember one of the Dawg partisans arguing that we do not know how one team will fare from year to year … their main points have been consistently (a) that it is tough titty we get the short end of the stick … (b) that it wasn’t anything McGarity did (or we can’t prove it); ( c) they don’t have any more juice than we do, and less that Bama, UT, UF and LSU; BUT that (d) if it did so happen to pass that McGarity pulled some strings, then stop bitching because it’s every dawg for himself.
I think heymanne advances a new argument. Can’t say I necessarily agree with it, because Arky and LSU are going to be red-hot next year, and this is a one-year dead (2012 SEC schedule), but I think we should save our powder for the pups and not bird of our own feather.
Here's a health, Carolina, forever to thee! UNIVERSITAS CAROLIN MERID. 1801 Emollit mores nec sinit esse feros (Ovid)
Sanchez
tried that argument in many posts of his and I’ve seen it other places from dawg country. I is absurd to say that Ole Miss could have a good year and LSU could have a down year.
Look the schedule is set, win anyway.
by wilmywoodcock on Jan 8, 2012 1:06 PM EST up reply actions
Shock the world
win anyway. I fear the real screwing is being saved for 2013.
Here's a health, Carolina, forever to thee! UNIVERSITAS CAROLIN MERID. 1801 Emollit mores nec sinit esse feros (Ovid)
Just that the "new" 6-1-1 rotation
will be set for 2013 and beyond; we’re told that 2012 is a one-off, one-year schedule. There’s been chatter that we’ll lost Arkansas as our permanent Western division rival, and be awarded LSU in replacement; we probably will lose the early (game 1 or game 2) match-up with UGA. Or so the scuttlebutt says.
Here's a health, Carolina, forever to thee! UNIVERSITAS CAROLIN MERID. 1801 Emollit mores nec sinit esse feros (Ovid)
There’s been chatter that we’ll lost Arkansas as our permanent Western division rival, and be awarded LSU in replacement
ouch. Let’s hope that’s just speculation and not true. I like them having Florida every year. Arky can slide to Missouri perhaps, and then maybe SC gets A&M, or Ole Miss. If I’m Heyman, I lobby to make a Mississippi school our permanent opponent. He has to have more pull than Vandy, right?
http://sportsandgrits.com/
I agree
I think Mississippi State is the best fit for us. They were one of our permanent x-division rivals under the old 5-2-1 format, and we had some meaningful games with those Dogs, particularly in the 1990s when Jackie Sherill was at State.
I would concede that, on the whole, South Carolina would under that scenario have a more favorable schedule than UGA, seeing as the Dawgs are paired with your ancient rival Auburn – typically a much stronger team than MSU. If South Carolina keeps Arkansas, however, I think it’s a bit of a push; if the Year of Cam is treated as an anomaly, then I would think (but would need to check) that Aubie and Arkie have been pretty evenly matched.
Here's a health, Carolina, forever to thee! UNIVERSITAS CAROLIN MERID. 1801 Emollit mores nec sinit esse feros (Ovid)
Arkansas has never won the SEC
they were up and down under Nutt, down under Danny Ford and before that, although good in their old SWC days. Auburn has historically been a solid team, so I’d assume history, even ignoring the Cam anamoly as you call it, puts Auburn ahead.
But yeah, Heyman should push in this next round to make Miss St the permanent rival. Arkansas has made it clear they want the state border rival in Missouri, which would open up Texas A&M (probably not much of a difference from the Hogs). And I was mistaken above, the cross rival for Miss St is Kentucky, who thanks to basketball probably has more sway. Vandy’s cross rival is Ole Miss, who I think would also be a good fit for South Carolina. So Heyman should fight for Ole Miss, and pawn Vandy off for A&M. But if they can steal Miss St, there is the Bear Bryant connection between A&M and Kentucky. Either way, that should be the goal, get a Mississippi school to be the permanent rival in the discussions around how to alter schedules going forward. Dropping Arkansas for LSU would be horrific.
http://sportsandgrits.com/
Arkansas.
yeah, but the worst team that Arkansas has played in the SEC championship is 2002 Georgia…. They were clearly better than the East rep from 2010, and looked to be about even if not better than the East rep from 2011.
Really I think Auburn and Arkansas are a little bit closer to even than you want to admit. Yes they have never won the SEC but, they’ve been to the championship game 3 times, which is one game behind Auburn and Georgia.
- FOW
I see the Hogs getting good and entrenched in the West
1. No big in-state competiton (even if Malzahn camps out at Arkansas State a year or two with Michael Dyer), and thus controls in-state talent.
2. Close enough to Dallas-FW, Houston, Memphis and Metro Atlanta, as well as the whole state of Florida to dip into talent from all those markets.
3. Petrino wins (I cant stand him, but he wins).
4. Enough tradition and a high-energy fan base (despite being the smallest of the SEC states) to compete with anyone.
I don’t see the Razorbacks going anywhere soon.
Here's a health, Carolina, forever to thee! UNIVERSITAS CAROLIN MERID. 1801 Emollit mores nec sinit esse feros (Ovid)
but counterpoint
1- in state Arkansas talent is right there with Kentucky and Tennessee (depending on who counts Memphis) as worst in the SEC.
2-To an extent, agree.
3- Until he jumps ship (and likrly gets replaced by Malzahn)
4- That fanbase can be more trouble than it’s worth (see shooting Nolan Richardson’s horse and the Nutt FOIA requests)
Added, they’ve been among the worst, if not the worst, in terms of oversigning, Let’s see if the rule changes impact them on talent level.
http://sportsandgrits.com/
Arkansas SHOULD be good
but have Tyler Wilson get his knee bent the wrong way in September, and then where are they? Bama and LSU are loaded to the gils with talent, and should be strong. I’m not as convinced of the Hogs superiority. And as for Bama/LSU, Saban could depart for huge money to Texas, and Les Miles lose that horse shoe that’s been stuck up his butt the past few years. It’s unlikely, especially considering the extreme talent on the rosters of LSU and Bama thanks to oversigning. But Arkansas is far from a sure thing.
http://sportsandgrits.com/
They were great without Davis
they could survive the loss of Tyler Wilson much easier than UGA could afford to lose Aaron Murray, or South Carolina could afford to lose Connor Shaw.
I can’t see Saban going to UT when he’s re-built a perennial power at Tuscaloosa. If he wants huge money, I’d imagine he’d take another shot at the NFL.
Here's a health, Carolina, forever to thee! UNIVERSITAS CAROLIN MERID. 1801 Emollit mores nec sinit esse feros (Ovid)
Texas can pay more than the NFL
and it’s just a dream, if only to watch the flood of tears come out of Bama fans.
And I’d disagree on the backups. Who backs up Wilson? A quick review shows a decent but not that good 3 star who’s never played. Georgia has two good ones in Hutson Mason and Christian LeMay. I don’t think we’d miss a beat if Murray went down. I don’t know anything about the Gamecocks back up QB Thompson.
http://sportsandgrits.com/
I haven't seen Mason or LeMay play
We’ve got a RS FR in the wings – Tanner McEvoy, who Mangus has brought along as a project, and a true freshman from eastern PA named Brendan Nosovitch .. two 3 star zone-read run-and-throw guys like Shaw.
When I was thinking about Arkie, it was not so much who would be Wilson’s back-up, but that they’d have Knile Davis and most of those great receivers back. In other words, they could probably still win 9 with a newb under center. Perhaps a priori conclusion but with Richardson and Dyer gone, and Crowell a bit uncertain, Davis will be challenging Lattimore as the top SEC RB … unless Keith Marshall makes his presence felt immediately.
Here's a health, Carolina, forever to thee! UNIVERSITAS CAROLIN MERID. 1801 Emollit mores nec sinit esse feros (Ovid)
Don't expect much from Marshall
as much as Georgia fans hype every incoming elite RB as the next Herschel, being an elite SEC back as a true freshman is pretty rare, and Lattimore probably filled that quota for the next decade.
http://sportsandgrits.com/
Arky
v. Au or Ole Miss, what are you smoking? Petrino, as much as I hate the quitter is a better coach than Chizik and with a better qb. Sure if I walk outside and get struck by lightening, I will not be writing any more crazy posts, much like if Wilson gets hurt then Arky will be less than, what a lame argument.
Hey everybody, Arky is good, they whip our ass every year and probably would be uga also, they just can’t compete with LSU or Bama. Give me a break.
by wilmywoodcock on Jan 10, 2012 6:54 PM EST up reply actions
Maybe
you should do the same. ESPN way to early rankings has uga at 6 in large part due to their schedule. Acknowledge the obvious.
by wilmywoodcock on Jan 11, 2012 7:31 AM EST up reply actions
You mean the obvious
that we return a 2 year starter at QB, loads of talent, experience and stats at offensive skill positions, and the vast majority of a top ranked defense? That’s got nothing to do with preseason rankings in the slightest, does it now.
http://sportsandgrits.com/
If schedule was the "large part"...
where’s Vandy? I assume they have to be top 25 right, considering how they don’t play LSU, Arkansas, or Alabama either and just get only Auburn and Ole Miss as well from the West. Funny, I haven’t seen your whining and outrage about that, and the conspiracy theories about how they exerted their influence with the SEC to guarantee more wins.
http://sportsandgrits.com/
Yeah but they are stuck playing us in week 1. WEEK ONE!!!
:)
- FOW
by skandrewj62j on Jan 11, 2012 10:12 AM EST up reply actions
See the post below this...
re: timing of when one would rather play South Carolina. I guess that gives Vanderbilt the easiest schedule in the SEC. Outrage! Rant!
I’d accuse their AD of conspiring with Slive, but I don’t know who their AD is, if they even have one anymore. But it’s a conspiracy! PAAAWWWWLLL!
http://sportsandgrits.com/
by Mr. Sanchez on Jan 11, 2012 10:17 AM EST up reply actions
See smiley face above this.
It indicated my sarcasm and that I was joking.
- FOW
by skandrewj62j on Jan 11, 2012 10:34 AM EST up reply actions
Sorry, my sardar isn't strong right now
but imo, of next year’s schedules, Vanderbilt’s is by far the easiest.
http://sportsandgrits.com/
by Mr. Sanchez on Jan 11, 2012 12:30 PM EST up reply actions
Now you are comparing Vandy and uga?
What is wrong with you, dropped on your head as a child? Vandy is not picked to win the conference and they are Vandy.
Don’t you know when to stop? You have lost your inane arguments concerning your easy schedule, plus two in row to the Cocks. I’ll whine all the way to Oct. 6.
by wilmywoodcock on Jan 11, 2012 4:25 PM EST up reply actions
Oh yeah,
last point, your qb is a head case and chokes in key situations with the game on the line. See USC, MSU and LSU. Chase him around and he will throw a pick.
by wilmywoodcock on Jan 11, 2012 4:28 PM EST up reply actions
So, about that schedule thing you keep crying about
http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2012/01/sec_football_by_the_numbers_20_1.html
The schedule ranks for the rest of the SEC teams were Ole Miss 11th (73-49, .598), Georgia 15th (84-60, .583), South Carolina 22nd (75-56, .573), Arkansas 25th (74-57, .565), Mississippi State 25th (74-57, .565), Florida 30th (74-59, .556), Vanderbilt 41st (68-60, .531), and Kentucky 59th (61-58, .513).
But nah, it was all because of that weak schedule this year.
http://sportsandgrits.com/
Yeah but that SECCG really helped out.
- FOW
by skandrewj62j on Jan 23, 2012 9:43 AM EST up reply actions
Please explain how moving South Carolina back is a gift?
Marcus Lattimore would be rusty early on. Not so in October, and not tired like he’d be in November. We get him at the worst possible time in the schedule.
Same for Lorenzo Ward as he should have a much better feel for calling games and for his players in early October as opposed to early September.
Same for the many young players coming in to replace Jeffrey, Ingram, Gilmore, etc.
And the game starts the death march of your schedule, instead of following LSU, UF, UT, etc.
So please explain how getting this game in October is a gift, especially it’s flipped in to getting Mizzou to kick off their SEC schedule, when they should be at their best and most hyped as opposed to getting them in say early October, when the new SEC shine is wearing off and they’ve been beaten up by a few good Ds the likes of which they haven’t seen in the Big 12 in years?
http://sportsandgrits.com/
For us, playing y'all in week 1 or week 2 is more about the intangibles
than the tangibles. You raise decent points on the tangible side of the ledger. It shouldn’t matter. But it does. And the rumor has been floating around for awhile that all things being equal, UGA has been unhappy of late with playing USC at the beginning … usually, this sort of talk dies down when UGA gets on a good winning streak against us … but it’s there. You fans might not care, but we’ve had more success against UGA playing an early game than we’ve had against UT and UF playing them late (even in the years where the Dawgs were evenly matched talent-wise with the Vols and Gators). It may have to do with perspective. But our pespective is not something you should casually dismiss as irrelevant – at least in these precincts.
Here's a health, Carolina, forever to thee! UNIVERSITAS CAROLIN MERID. 1801 Emollit mores nec sinit esse feros (Ovid)
To elaborate further
y’all think of us as another Vanderbilt. A chore. Not a rival, but a team you’re consistently better than historically, and, consequently, should beat. From our perspective, Georgia fans mentally check off the South Carolina game as a “W” as you look through the schedule. We, however, want to beat you worse than anyone. Consequently, that’s why we’re often much more up for the game than UGA seems to be … which suggests the “beating SC is no big deal mentality” seeps into the staff and certainly the players’ minds. Which means its better for us to play you early, because UGA constantly expects Carolina to be a cupcake. That’s why UGA seems to have more trouble with us, from an upset standpoint, than vs. other teams in which the Dawgs are favored.
We’re now facing the same problem with Vandy, having to play them first. C’est la vie, I suppose, but that’s the thought process at least in my mind.
Here's a health, Carolina, forever to thee! UNIVERSITAS CAROLIN MERID. 1801 Emollit mores nec sinit esse feros (Ovid)
No Georgia fan I've ever known considers SC "another Vandy"
there is a much, much greater respect for their program than that, especially considering they’ve been much more competitive, and won a lot more, than Vandy has ever dreamed of.
I’ve also never heard any rumors in the past of Georgia wanting to move that game. Comments that South Carolina is tougher early than late, because injuries hit and the depth has never been good after a usually strong top group, but that’s it. And never any talk of wanting to move the game because of it. I’ve always gotten the impression that having that good atmosphere early instead of bunch up with the usually tough rival run of Florida, Auburn, Tech to end the year, is a good thing. But we do see things from different sides of the fence.
And lastly, I’m not saying it “shouldn’t matter” whether the game is early or late. I’m saying it does matter, and having Mizzou early and South Carolina in October, in the one-off schedule of this season is the worst way to have them, and if Georgia was looking for the easiest schedule possible would flip those games to make them both easier than they will be in their current times.
http://sportsandgrits.com/
Fair points
I will concede that going to Columbia, Missouri for Mizzou’s first SEC game is going to be a tough environment.
As far as conspiracy theories, if I was a Dawg fan, I’d argue that the real conspiracy was not McGarity got Uncle Mike to drop Bama in 2012, but that the Sabinator got the SEC to drop UGA from the Tide’s schedule in ’12. It just feels better to blame you lot, though.
Here's a health, Carolina, forever to thee! UNIVERSITAS CAROLIN MERID. 1801 Emollit mores nec sinit esse feros (Ovid)
We've got to play the schedule. Win anyway!
Imagine how freaking sweet it will be to win the East in spite of this scheduling inbalance, then be able to throw it in UGA fans’ faces all year long.
Braves.
Falcons.
Gamecocks.
I can't say...
that I disagree with anything said here. It’s all a moot issue, anyway, if we don’t beat UGA again. And that is far from a sure thing.
Dum spiro spero - "While I breathe, I hope"
State motto of South Carolina
by The Feathered Warrior on Jan 8, 2012 3:37 PM EST reply actions
While not a sure thing, I think it is fair to say that we will be favored at home against UGA.
- FOW
by skandrewj62j on Jan 9, 2012 10:17 AM EST up reply actions
This far out, got to go with the home team.
The teams looks to be pretty squarely matched 9 months before kickoff, but one stud freshman or critical injury or NFL defection or who-knows-what-else could affect the ultimate line. Lattimore’s recovery (though not as crucial as I thought it would be, given the emergence of other guys to tote the rock) is something we’ll all be watching.
by first and thom on Jan 9, 2012 10:29 AM EST up reply actions
Let's see
how many passes Aaron Murry throws to our defense, much like the one he threw to MSU at a very crucial point in the game. The issue next year is that our d will have much to prove following this year and new players stepping into leadership roles on that side of the ball. On the o side of the ball, we will be much improved with or without number 21, which I think it will be a miracle if he is back to form in October. Either way, if we win, we are still behind the eight ball due to scheduling, period, enough said, no coherent relevant arguments can be made despite the blah, blah blah from the uga homers.
by wilmywoodcock on Jan 9, 2012 4:30 PM EST up reply actions
Dude.
I think UGA should just forfeit to USC and USC should just forfeit to LSU and Arkansas. Why even play the season? Why bother being “behind the eight ball due to scheduling, period, enough said” when you can go ahead and lose the games now (up front, no risk of injury, no need to go through the burden and expense of getting dressed and painting the field or travelling) and embrace the narrative for a season that doesn’t even kick off until more than 7 months from now? It’s more fun to award games to favorites without any possibility for somebody to actually go out there and make a damn play.
by first and thom on Jan 10, 2012 10:48 AM EST up reply actions
Question:
Could SC or GA have beaten the LSU that showed up last night? lol
I’d say SC wins 14-10, and GA 24-14
Braves.
Falcons.
Gamecocks.
I can't disrespect LSU.
LSU showed what it can do against UGA, and – while I think we would have done better that we did – I’ve got to abide that result. I saw Alabama put on a clinic of defensive football and offensive gameplan. At no point in that game did LSU have any meaningful input on the outcome.
At best, I think UGA gave Alabama some good game tape on how to contain JJ (1st half of the SECCG) and what adjustments LSU would make in the face of good 3-4 defense (2nd half). We also showed that LSU’s secondary could be beat if the receivers actually catch the ball. But UGA didn’t almost beat LSU, so I have to abide that result.
Just like I have to abide 45-42. At least until the fall…
by first and thom on Jan 10, 2012 12:00 PM EST up reply actions
Neither of us have the size or physicality of Bama's D
so the LSU that showed up last night likely runs the ball a helluva lot more effectively.
http://sportsandgrits.com/
by Mr. Sanchez on Jan 10, 2012 12:35 PM EST up reply actions
That's true.
especially considering that USC in particular was stronger against the pass than against the run. We might have fared better against the pass, but Richardson would have lit us up.
- FOW
by skandrewj62j on Jan 10, 2012 12:42 PM EST up reply actions
True.
but Jefferson couldn’t throw the ball a lick last night, and LSU became 1 dimensional and ineffective at that, albeit against a beastly Dline.
Doesn’t much matter. SC will have a chance to show what they can or can’t do against LSU next season.
Braves.
Falcons.
Gamecocks.
Agreed on lasdt night...
but against Georgia in the SEC Champ, that one dimension was all they needed to make it a blowout. And SC’s rush defense wasn’t much better. They won 13 games off that one dimensional attack, considering Jefferson was never very good passing and against everyone else, the passing game’s success all year long was solely attributable to an overwhelming running attack. It just so happens Bama had the one D big enough and physical enough to not be overwhelmed.
http://sportsandgrits.com/
Dude?
Why forfeit when we will beat you again? You make absolutely no sense. You and your uga bretheren appreciate another year of favorable scheduling while we go out and play LSU, despite last nights performance, would slaughter uga again. We will welcome Arky and their 23 players with arrest records, SI had them number 2 in the top 25 of colleges with the most players having rap sheets. You enjoy an 0-11 Ole Miss project and Au. Just accept it and be happy until we beat you again on Oct. 6, comprende? We are better than uga period. Murry is a head case will be running for his life in the fine city of Columbia.
Go Cocks, and curse uga and their crying fans who dare come into our house with their nonsense after losing to us two years in a row. Your blather is boring and irrelevant-see ESPN, Athlon and anyone with common sense.
by wilmywoodcock on Jan 10, 2012 6:35 PM EST up reply actions
and yes
sometimes I yell at traffic.
Win anyway, beat uga and arky and the rest will take care of itself.
by wilmywoodcock on Jan 10, 2012 6:56 PM EST up reply actions
This looks like fun.
/chugs beer, then another beer, then another beer
// sarcasm on
UGA is better than South Carolina, period. Comprende? Shaw ain’t nothin. All your talunt at WR is going to the NFL. The fine city of Athens will colonize Columbia for a day, own it while we whoop you, and then deed it back to you because it sucks. LSU will slaughter you. Arky will slaughter you. Heck, Vandy will beat you and Franklin won’t even think it’s a big deal. If you disagree with me, it’s because you don’t know how to think good.
/sarcasm off. Dude. UGA and USC are roughly equal teams. UGA has the easier schedule. The winner of the game in Columbia holds poll position. Good luck in the offseason.
by first and thom on Jan 10, 2012 7:02 PM EST up reply actions
Hee Hee
Your sarcasm might carry some weight if you had beaten us the last two years. Three in a row after Oct. 6.
By the way, ga will always be a penal colony!
by wilmywoodcock on Jan 11, 2012 4:30 PM EST up reply actions
I understand both sides of this scheduling argument, or at least I think I do.
Ga has to go to Mizzou and Columbia.
We have to go to LSU, but have Ark at home.
Not quite a wash, LSU and Ark are both tougher teams than Mizzou or SC.
That said, I’m really looking forward to the challenges SC faces. If they win, they really really deserved it. I also want to thank the Gamecocks for being the only team I root for finishing the season with a win.
Braves.
Falcons.
Gamecocks.
My, my...
things have gotten testicle-y in here!
Braves.
Falcons.
Gamecocks.
Yeah, I vote we shelve the topic until August camp
as the partisans on both sides (including yours truly) have beaten the dead horse, buried him, exhumed him, beaten him some more and packed him off the glue factory, and now we’re beating the Elmer’s bottle just for good measure. The arguments are totally played out.
Back pats to all for espousing your points with elan and verve. In the meantime, both UGA and USC fans need to concentrate on why each of our respective hoops teams are flailing. UGA can blame their woes on graduations at least.
Here's a health, Carolina, forever to thee! UNIVERSITAS CAROLIN MERID. 1801 Emollit mores nec sinit esse feros (Ovid)
/hand shake
I was out of line above. Apologies.
by first and thom on Jan 11, 2012 9:27 AM EST up reply actions
We're all Kool and the Gang
no sweat.
Here's a health, Carolina, forever to thee! UNIVERSITAS CAROLIN MERID. 1801 Emollit mores nec sinit esse feros (Ovid)
Hoops, I love hoops
I thought Horn would do better than this. He recruited well, and his teams did well early on in his tenure. What went wrong?
For Georgia, it was part graduation (Jeremy Price and Chris Barnes. I consider Price the biggest loss since while Thompkins may be by far more talented, he wanted to play Dirk Nowitski and what we lack is a low post weapon that Price provided). But Thompkins and Leslie left after their junior year, not graduating, and we’ve failed woefully to recruit quality (aside from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who’s the real deal imo). It’s utterly mind boggling to me considering the talent in our own back yard, the opportunity for exposure in the SEC and early playing time considering our depth chart, when combined with Fox’s multiple NBA products at Nevada and now at least 2 from Athens, that we are recruiting as poorly as we have been. But then, it’s not that big of a shock when you consider AAU influence, and the mistakes made on assistant hires and non-hires (failing to fill the administrative role former UK big Mark Pope left behind with someone well connected in Atlanta is Fox’s primary mistake imo).
http://sportsandgrits.com/
My take?
Too many sophomores and juniors have left the program during his tenure. A couple had had to go. But most are head-scratchers. The worst was at the end of last season, when we lost our third leading scorer (Ramon Galloway) and a big South Carolinian PF Murphy Holloway, who had transferred from Ole Miss and paid his own way to USC for a year to ride the pine because Coach Kennedy wouldn’t release him. Both left without a real explanation why, or a real effort (at least publicly) on Horn’s part to keep them. So this year we have just one senior and one junior. I likened it to a self-imposed probation when we’d done nothing wrong.
Here's a health, Carolina, forever to thee! UNIVERSITAS CAROLIN MERID. 1801 Emollit mores nec sinit esse feros (Ovid)
Interesting take, thanks...
I haven’t followed them closely of late, after doing so during my time in Columbia. It’s what made me a huge fan of Tre Kelley, and Mike Holmes.
http://sportsandgrits.com/
by Mr. Sanchez on Jan 11, 2012 10:11 AM EST up reply actions
Tre was special
we’ve been blessed with better guards than we’ve deserved over recent years … Jamie Watson, BJ McKie, Melvin Watson, Tre Kelly and Devan Downey (particularly him) and now, it seems to appear, Bruce Ellington. We hope Damien Leonard finds his stroke to join that elite club, too.
Here's a health, Carolina, forever to thee! UNIVERSITAS CAROLIN MERID. 1801 Emollit mores nec sinit esse feros (Ovid)
Downey was talented, his defensive lapses were an issue, especially under Odom
Kelley was another level imo. How well he did, when everyone in the gym knew he had to create everything offensively, injuries all over, as you say he was special.
http://sportsandgrits.com/
by Mr. Sanchez on Jan 11, 2012 12:32 PM EST up reply actions
Yes
exactly. Enough said. Yawn.
See you October 6.
by wilmywoodcock on Jan 11, 2012 4:27 PM EST up reply actions
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