UGA headlines from Media Days beyond our borders

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Here are some interesting articles that appeared beyond the normal ABH, AJC, Macon Telegraph, etc sources. I figure you already read those this morning. Anyway...here are some articles a little off the beaten path:

• UGA's Relevancy - The Dothan Eagle talks about the expectations for the program and the schedule. I think they make some legit points, but they lost me in this section

  "[Georgia's] schedule is arguably the most daunting in the conference, as it opens the season at top-10 Oklahoma State and faces seven more losable games before Homecoming."

  I'm sorry...did you say 7 losable games before homecoming? By the most strict definition of losable, I guess Florida "could" lose to Charleston Southern. But let's be realistic...that's not what the writer meant. We have a 4 game schedule next year (OKSU, LSU, UF and GT). The rest of the teams we're playing will struggle to win 7 games.
  
  
• Addition by Decimation - Team Speed Kills live blogged media days for SB Nation, and his recap of the UGA session makes fair points. You do NOT get better offensively by losing Matthew Stafford and Knowshon Moreno. However, you can get better defensively by having Jeff Owens, Kade Weston, Rod Battle and a half dozen linebackers healthy . You can also get better defensively with Reshad Jones in a salary drive year and with upgraded depth at safety and cornerback so that you can bench first team guys who are struggling . From a personnel standpoing, the team improvement is going to come from the defense, and the offensive line will soften the blow of the skill losses. The rest of the improvement will come from attitude and cutting the penalties. Theoretically, improvement would also come from special teams, but I'll believe it when I see it.
  
  
• 5 Things - Opelika-Auburn Now suggests that if Cox struggles Richt could be on his way out. Talk about hyperbole. Mark Richt has averaged over 10 wins a season for nine straight years. That has never happened in the history of the University. Contributions and revenues outpace most of the country by a wide margin, and he avoids meaningful controversy like the plague. The administration adores the guy. It would take catastrophic failure (back-to-back losing seasons) or a move into the ministry to get Richt out of Athens. Just because Auburn was stupid enough to run off the best coach they've ever had doesn't mean that UGA would be that stupid.
  
  
• Keeping an Eye on Petrino - The Louisville-Courier says Richt has his eyes on the Arkansas coach because of the SEC's history of year two improvement. If he can recruit, he'll eventually turn ARK around. But he's working with a defense that averaged 31 points allowed per game...and without injuries being their excuse. Arkansas was about 5 plays away from being 0-12 last year. All positive momentum for their '09 season is built on LSU having a bumbling idiot for defensive coordinator last year which lead to a 31-30 win for the Hawgs. Climbing out of their hole this year will more likely come at the expense of the Gamecocks and Aggies than UGA.
  
  
• Quick Hitters - The Clarion-Ledger mentions UGA bucking the national trend and booking three non-conference BCS games. Richt said in another interview that he doesn't expect that to happen again. That's an under statement. A friend in the Athletic Department said there's virtually no chance of UGA booking 3 tough OCC games again any time soon. However, I will say the fans b*tching about this season's OCC slate are overstating things. Arizona State is nothing more than Central Michigan with hotter co-eds.
  
  
• As Good as He Wants - The Charleston Post-Courier has a quick hitter on A.J. Green. Another article says that he's up to 207 pounds, and he's faster than last year. I don't buy the 4.28 40 yard dash time that was leaked last week any more than I believe in unicorns. But he's going to be faster than last year if his groin is finally healthy, and that's plenty fast enough.
  
  
• Media Days Round-Up - Mobile Press Register touches on a variety of topics including Auburn going after Searels and Garner last off season.

I forgot to ask any of my reporter friends to ask this question...."Do you believe in Evil Richt?" I would've paid to hear him get asked and answer questions about the Evil One.

See Also:
-- 2009 Georgia Bulldogs Football Tickets (UGA)

PWD