Recruiting Thoughts

Nice work by the football coaches in landing commitments from Malcolm Mitchell and Jay Rome. Typically, I don't put a lot of stock into player rankings as much as I do who else offers a kid. And fending off Bama, Florida and the rest of the planet for these two is a big deal.

That said the rankings on these two are really impressive.

Malcolm Mitchell:
• ESPN.com - National Rank 45th / Position Rank 7th (as WR)
  
• Scout.com - National Rank 90th / Position Rank 7th (as a CB)
  
• Rivals.com - National Rank 30th / Position Rank 1st (as a CB)
Jay Rome:
• ESPN.com - National Rank 18th / Position Rank 1st (TE)
  
• Scout.com - National Rank 68th / Position Rank 4th (TE)
  
• Rivals.com - National Rank 56th / Position Rank 4th (TE)

Things were looking bleak about 45 days ago on the recruiting trail. It was beginning to look like Bama would be signing our Dream Team. But Coach Richt and crew made up enormous ground with several top prospects, and we continue to hear positive rumblings from the direction of Isaiah Crowell (RB), Ray Drew (DE/OLB) and John Jenkins (Juco DT).

When you look at the most glaring holes in Georgia's talent base guys this class looks like it's heading towards addressing many of them.

When signing day rolls around, I'm hoping to do a slow developing series of articles called "Profiles in Hope" that sort of outline the foundation for my optimism for next season.

Don't get me wrong. I'm still fairly pessimistic, but this recruiting class is giving me hope. To that end, I like Blutarsky's take on things.

PWD

Georgia Basketball Update

My optimism for basketball is the yin to my football pessimism's yang.  I'm sky high on hoops right now.  Here are some quick updates:

• Tickets for UT Game -- As of 9 am this morning, there were ~900 tickets left for sale to the UGA vs. UT game on Tuesday night at 7 pm.  I would argue that it's the biggest game of Coach Fox's tenure to date.  Win this one, and we're 3-1 in the SEC and positioned to re-enter the Top 25 rankings.  Also...win it and the UF game next week in Athens is even bigger.
  

• Speaking of the Top 25 -- Both polls basically have Georgia at 27th right now.  Coach Harrick said it best...the reason the Top 25 polls matter...ESPN shows ALL the highlights from those games. It's purely a TV/Recruiting/Perception thing.

• RPI on the Rise -- RealTimeRPI and Sportsline both have Georgia with an RPI of 38.  They list our Strength of Schedule (SOS) as 83rd and rising.  Remember, it was ~224 about 2 weeks ago.  StatSheet.com projects our SOS at 52nd by seasons end which will be plenty strong enough for us to make a compelling case to the committee at 10-6 in the SEC.

• SEC and the Tourney -- The league is still a hot mess right now overall with the West as a boat anchor on the league's credibility.  When you monitor our RPI, keep the RPI of the entire SEC in mind.  It's likely the league will only put four teams into the big dance.  We're currently 5th in the league in RPI, and the Vols are 4th.  Yet another reason that Tuesday's game is so important.  Bruce Pearl will be back for the rematch in Knoxville so this is a big opportunity.

• Projecting Wins -- I thought this was a 10 or 11 conference win team preseason IF we stayed healthy and learned to win on the road.  So far...so good.  It's interesting that Ken Pomeroy lists Georgia as roughly a 39% chance to win 10-12 SEC games based on current data models.  Pomeroy and RealTimeRPI both have our most likely scenario as 9 conference wins.  Nine would put us squarely on the bubble looking up with a major push required in the SEC tourney.  

I expect Joe Lunardi's latest Bracketology to come out Tuesday.  The Dawgs are currently among the last teams out of the tourney on the bubble watch (5 teams ahead of us).  I expect us to be right on the edge when tomorrow's edition comes out.

Keep pulling for Colorado, UAB and Xavier to win as both are undefeated in conference play so far.  It certainly wouldn't hurt for Notre Dame and Temple to also excel.

PWD

Grantham a DC Candidate in Dallas?

ESPN Dallas reports that Todd Grantham is a candidate for the DC position in Dallas.  New head cowboy Jason Garrett is assembling his new staff.  The story doesn't say Garrett is interested in Grantham specifically.  It just seems like the writer is listing him as a possibility.

I hope Grantham stays. A switch to another coach or, God forbid, another scheme would set our defense back.  Ask Donnan about constant turnover at DC. 

UPDATE: Grantham says he has not been contacted by anyone from the Cowboys, per UGASports.com ($).

Quinton

The Curse of Colt Brennan

I've been suspecting this for several months now, but I think I finally have proof. I don't speak Hawaiinese fluently but I think these dudes are saying (roughly translated):

If you beat us and hurt our sweet Colt,

Your foes will rejoice with feasts of coconuts

As you never win big game again.

You'll fall to the weak

And your dog will always be sick.

I think Hawai'i put a curse on us. I'm no expert on the black arts, but I'm familiar with the concept of cause and effect. Since that game, our beloved play-by-play man has gotten so frail as to be unable to call games, we've gotten our asses handed to us repeatedly by good teams, we've lost in the most excruciating ways possible to average teams, we've lost a mascot, another mascot has gotten dreadfully sick, we've gotten arrested, and the mood of our fanbase is as bad as I've ever seen. How else to explain this much bad stuff happening to one program in such a short period of time?

Quinton

UPDATE:
Quinton's observation leads me to construct a slightly different, yet related, theory that Colt Brennan brought one of these to Mark Richt before the Sugar Bowl. And he's been wearing it around his neck ever since.
No! CMR, the tiki gives you bad juju!

Dawgnoxious

Chuck Heater Needs Work

Until Jan. 2nd, Chuck Heater was the co-defensive coordinator for the Florida Gators with specific position coaching responsibilities for safeties. He joined Florida from Utah along with Coach Meyer in 2005 as recruiting coordinator and cornerbacks coach.

At age 57, he's served on coaching staffs that have won two SEC titles and two national titles at UF, a national title at Notre Dame, an undefeated season at Utah, a Rose Bowl and Pac 10 title at Washington, a Big Ten title at Ohio State, and an 11-1 record at Colorado.

He's a winner.

As a recruiting coordinator for the Gators under Meyer, they built a recruiting machine with few peers. Also under Meyer and Heater, the Gators produced defensive back fields with devastating speed and toughness with kids who were coached well enough to begin contributing their freshmen year. He's a tough as nails coach with high expectations for his kids.

Yet, Will Muschamp isn't keeping him. So, he's looking at his options.

Hiring a guy with a resume like Heater's would strengthen our horrific DB production and give us another recruiter strong enough to further diversify our almost unhealthy reliance on Rodney Garner.

So...is UGA talking to him about replacing Scott Lakatos as defensive backs coach? It doesn't appear so. Well...there's something to be said for stability with complete disregard for merit I guess.

Am I suggesting that Richt should immediately fire Lakatos and hire Heater? Actually, no; although, the resumes of the two men aren't from the same planet. I'm suggesting that a move that bold wouldn't even be considered right now. And that's depressing as hell to me.

PWD

Am I Reading This Right?

After seeing lots of posts on the message boards demanding Richt's head for the "Mess in Memphis," I was thinking about buyout clauses.  That prompted me to look at Mark Richt's contract and his buyout.  (This post is simply an observation on that deal, not necessarily an endorsement of any action.  We don't call for heads here.)

Richt's current contract runs through the end of the 2013 season.  If Richt is fired (technically, the Athletic Association would terminate his contract with six months notice) then Richt gets three amounts: (1) his full compensation package for the year in which he is fired, (2) a portion of his compensation package for future years remaining on his contract, and (3) a longevity bonus.  Richt's full compensation package includes his base salary and payments for media appearances ($800K), the equipment deal with Nike, and a football camp payment ($100K).  In addition, Richt earns a longevity bonus of $300,000 for each season he coaches after the 2005 season, but that cumulative sum is paid when the contract ends. 

So, if Richt is fired, he'd get his full package for the year in which he is fired.  Here's the interesting part.  Effective January 1, 2011, for years remaining on his contract after the year of termination, Richt's buyout gives him only his base salary and his equipment deal money, but not the payments for media appearances and camps.  That reduction represents a $900,000 savings on each year remaining on the contract after the year of termination.  That reduction for future year compensation is effective only for years after 2011.  Years before that would have entitled Richt to his full package.  The longevity bonus for prior seasons would have to be paid too.  That number currently stands at $1.5M.  It increases by $300,000 for each season Richt coaches.

This means that Richt's contract makes it $1.8M easier to fire him in 2011 or earlier. 

Here's one other thing about Richt's contract.  Coaches generally require at least four years remaining on their contracts for recruiting.  You want a recruit to see that you have at least four years remaining on your contract to assure him that you'll be around for his time at your school.  So, as crazy as it might sound to you, you shouldn't be surprised if Richt gets a one-year contract extension between now and February 2.

Also, Richt isn't the only contract that would have to be bought out.  Todd Grantham's got a buyout clause, too.  Reportedly, he has a three year deal that would require a full buyout if he is fired without cause.  That means Grantham would get $750,000 per season remaining on his contract.  He's entering year two of that contract. 

Quinton

Frustration and a Welcomed End to 2010

WARNING: What you are about to read are the frustrated musings of a person who traveled 3,510 miles to only three games this season only to be rewarded with losses to Mississippi State, Colorado, and Central Florida.

First of all, I'd like to say that the Liberty Bowl isn't a bad trip. Memphis is a fun town if you stick to the right areas. The halftime show was the best halftime concert since Kenny Rogers at the 2005 game in Knoxville. My only complaint was that the stadium felt like it was at the center of the American transportation system with trains blaring by at regular intervals and an almost constant flow of low-altitude aircraft. Otherwise, I enjoyed the trip. Well, except for the actual play of my team.

I'm just at a loss on this one. It was the same stuff as all the early season losses, except we seemed intent on getting the ball to A.J. He returned punts. He caught quick passes. We tried to hit him deep. Despite that, the offense sputtered. UCF has a competent defense, but when your OL outweighs their DL by 50 pounds a man and two of its members are considering early entry to the NFL draft, you should dominate the offensive line of scrimmage. But, just like the rest of the year, our line looked weak, or tired, or just slow. UCF played a conservative defense that demanded good execution and methodical play. The Dawgs obliged on some long drives, only to sputter within sight of the goal line. The offense just never seemed in rhythm.

It's frustrating. A losing season is never acceptable. The University of Georgia places a high emphasis on its athletic programs, especially football. So, things have to change, right? Well, there won't be coaching change this season, so let's take that off the table. With that said, how exactly do you see the Georgia Bulldogs improving next season?

I've heard a lot of folks saying that recruiting is the key to next season. Those pleas just ring hollow to me. First, recruiting is important every year. We have to sign great athletes every year because our competitors sure are. Second, the chief deficiencies I see on this team are on the offensive and defensive lines. How many true freshman do you see making an appreciable difference on the line of scrimmage in SEC play? Crowell, Drew, Rome, and the rest of the Dream Team are important, but will they make an appreciable difference next year? I'm not so sure. Long and Benedict should be ready to contribute on the OL, but both those guys are coming off major surgeries.

Georgia will open the season against Boise in Atlanta. We'll be without our top play maker on both the offense and defense from this year. Why should I be optimistic about that game or any game next year?

I was on Beale Street Thursday afternoon before the bowl pep rally. Greg McGarity walked toward me, stopped, and thanked me for coming to support the team. He didn't know me, nor does he have any particular reason to. It was an appreciated gesture. I told him that I was sincerely grateful that he got the job and wished him luck. It seems that our administration is ready to support our program in any way, even thanking some yahoo on the street. We just need to figure out how to improve, and fast.

Quinton