The Good
1. Murray is a stud. Kid has heart, toughness, intelligence and a cannon. Auburn resorted to dirty attempts to take him out of the game, and yet he still stood up boldy in the pocket and delivered rocket after rocket. I came away from this game far more impressed with Murray than Newton. Murray is a 6-foot tall freshman playing on the road against the #2 team in the country, while the heathens are gunning for his ribs and knees... and yet he rose above it all and put on one of the best performances of the year. Kudos, Murray. And to think we don't even have to pay this kid for a mere single season of mercenary work - makes it all the better. In the grand scheme of things, Murray >>>>> Newton.
2. Our defense was able to force Auburn to make mistakes early. They were aggressive and it appears we had them on the ropes. But we couldn't keep it up for a full game. There's promise in this aggressive defensive scheme so long as we can stay after it for an entire game and make better adjustments.
3. Mike Bobo was far more aggressive. He still had times where he lulled himself back into the "ball control, run-or-die, force our running game on them" mode, especially late in the first half when we had the lead. But for the most part, he kept the foot on the gas. With talents like Green, Murray and Charles, that's what you have to do.
4. A.J. Green. Wow. If he were to announce that he is coming back next year, I'd probably blow... well... I'd be rather excited. He is by far the best receiver I've ever seen at Georgia and, right there with Calvin Johnson, the best college wide receiver I've ever seen period. He runs like a gazelle and he catches everything thrown his way. He's a vacuum. Man, I'd love to see him back on the field next year.
5. From what I could tell, our linebacker play was much better this game. I saw them running all over the place. At the very least, they were playing their asses off. Houston, Gamble, Dent... I kept seeing those jerseys all day long. I'm proud of our linebacking corps for playing hard.
6. After all the unsportsmanlike antics that Auburn pulled leading up to the game, during the game, and at the end, I'm very proud to be a Georgia Bulldog fan. Auburn and its fans have decided to sell their soul for a national title game. They're wallowing in all that goes with it. I think I feel much better as a person after watching Murray and the team play their hearts out and losing, than I would if I had been an Auburn fan and seeing the team go to 11-0 after all that bulls#!t. Roll Tide. Go Cocks. Go Ducks.
The Bad
7. We still do not have game changers at running back. Sure, the guys had a couple of decent runs. But they aren't explosive runners with the ability to get into space and take one to the house. Against Tech, they're golden gods... but in the SEC they are second rate.
8. It is well-documented that we need a nose tackle. Auburn could get 5 yards by merely diving forward into the line practically every down. With a big nose tackle to clog things up, this could have been different.
9. Our kick return team was terrible. And I'm not really talking about the onsides kick. Boykin got absolutely stuff every single kickoff return attempt. There was nothing there. As for the onsides kick, apparently the coaching staff had warned the guys, and they still flubbed it up. That momentum seizure may have been all the spark Auburn needed to take over the game.
10. As for coaching and coaching decisions, I guess I only have three complaints. 1) You can't take your foot off the gas when up 21-7. Bobo let up just a little, and started getting back the "old faithful" offense just enough to break our rhythm and allow Auburn back in. 2) When you have the ball and 51 seconds left in a half, you don't take a knee against a team with an offense like Cam Newton. You KEEP YOUR FOOT ON THE GAS. You throw it to Green, throw it to Green, throw it to Green. In this game, you go all-in. You can't play with a fear of making mistakes. We should have tried to score in a 2-minute offense at the end of the first half. 3) Kicking the field goal down by a touchdown in the second half. That was the nail in the coffin. It was established that we could not stop Auburn, and our only hope was to tie the game every time we got the ball and try to keep up. And we blew it with a field goal. I said it then and I'll repeat it now, that is when we truly lost the game.
11. I thought before the game that there were 4 things I'd like to see us do: 1) win the turnover battle, 2) win the time of possession battle, 3) win the penatly battle, and 4) rush for more than 175 yards. I knew the last bit was very unlikely, but if we could do it - it would have meant a victory for us. But the only category we won was the turnover battle, at +1.
The Ugly
12. Auburn. Everything about their team stinks. Not just the players and their antics, but the coach and the program as well. On at least three occasions Fairley took extra care to try to remove Murray from the game. And Chizik was doing nothing short of encouraging him. But this is merely scratching the surface. Auburn is the ugliest, dirtiest program I have seen in a long time. More to come...
Great post, I only have a couple of things to comment about.
ReplyDelete1. Murray is great. And in the grand scheme of things he could potentially be a better PROFESSIONAL player than Newton. However, Newton was clearly the better player on saturday and I don't think Murray will ever be as good of a college player as Newton. Maybe I am wrong and Murray wins a Heisman. I just don't see it.
10. I actually don't have a lot of problems with those 3 things you listed. As a fan, I can understand why you would say such things, but as a coach you have to keep the big picture in mind.
1. I agree with
2. You do not go for it with 51 seconds left at your 31 on the road against the number 2 team in the nation. Especially if you get the ball back in the 2nd half. That would be stupidity. Especially after Auburn has proved they can do whatever they want with us and were going to score if they get the ball back. You go into the locker room tied at the half still feeling great about your chances to win the game.
3. Again, as a fan or a video game player, you go for the 4 and 5. As a coach you have to take the points and have faith in your defense. You have to believe you can get ONE STOP. If you do then you win the game. Obviously we didn't, but you have to believe in your defense at that time in the game. If not you lose them for the entire season.
I would like to add something as well.
15. The Chizik love affair on CBS was unbearable. He is not that great of a coach in my mind. He is a defensive guy with a terrible defense. The reason why Auburn is 10-0 is because they have a tremendous offense. More importantly they have Cam Newton. They are AT BEST 8-4 without Newton. The only thing I am impressed with is the fact that Chizik hired Malzhan, who is a hell of a coach. But can we please stop praising Chizik for being an amazing coach.
Fratlock:
ReplyDeleteSince I was at the game, I'd like to respond to your last point. I guess CBS left out the part where a Richt led UGA team stomped on the AU logo at midfield just before the game. They also left out a UGA team left at midfield during the first TD review that started jawing at the AU huddle at the numbers. No one watching TV saw Granthem stand up on the UGA bench and scream at AU fans after the UGA interception. I won't excuse the Fairley hit that drew a flag, because it was clearly a dirty play, but Chizik was screaming at AUs D-line coach at the end of the game and after the brawl. Also, it was UGA's bench that cleared, not AU's during the scuffle. I guess it depends on what your definition of "dirty" is. I'd say a program with a dozen arrests during the offseason is pretty "dirty" myself. All of which actually happened and is proven as opposed to what is going on at AU, which has not been. I had the pleasure of sitting in the UGA section during the game and from what I had to deal with and saw on the field, I'd say the UGA program has issues of its own. However, I would attribute most of the actions to the fact that this is a rivalry game and nothing more instead of passing judgement on an entire program.
On Murray, note I said "In the grand scheme of things..." I was not advocating that Murray, right now or in the future, is necessarily a better QB than Newton in terms of raw athleticism or skills. My point is that I'd rather have him than Newton, given all the bullshit that goes along with Newton and that he will only be at the school one year (and that one year may not only cost Auburn their wins this season, but may also cost them in the future). Murray will be at Georgia for 2-3 more years. And given what I've seen so far, I look forward to him leaving UGA with what will probably be a better legacy than what Cam will leave at Auburn, and with fewer asterisks. I just think in terms of the big picture, we will find Murray to be greater than Newton, in terms of having a lasting positive impact both on and off the field.
ReplyDeleteYou're right, I'm sure CBS just conveniently missed all that stuff and failed to comment on it. I'm sure Grantham yelled at an Auburn fan completely unprovoked. I'm sure our team was stomping on the logo in disrespect (from where I was sitting, the paint on the logo was pretty undisturbed, but that was just an optical illusion). I'd be shocked if we were dancing in on the logo in an obvious show of disrespect, and the CBS Auburn-loving crew just happened to miss it. I'm sure we started it all, and you guys finished it.
ReplyDeleteBut the Auburn thing had always been, in my mind, a friendly rivalry. Sure, we had won the last 4 years, but Tubs and Richt were friends and there had never appeared to be any bad blood between the schools.
But here's what I saw from Auburn, though from your seat at the game - I'm sure you saw it all better - so correct me if I am wrong:
1. Nick Fairley hitting Murray after a throw and grinding him into the ground, with his helmet below Murray's chin. Grinding away, while the QB was defenseless. This busted Murray's chin and he had to change jerseys.
2. Nick Fairley spearing Murray from the side with his helmet angled for the ribs. A penalty was called here. Apparently Murray has bruising in the chest that may stem from this hit.
3. Nick Fairley using his helmet to take out Murray's knee as he rolled on the ground after a partial block. No penalty here.
4. A Georgia defensive player gets injured on the field, and the Auburn fans begin to boo him. Are you kidding me? Who does that?
5. Ben Jones, after getting tired of seeing Fairley commit dirty hit after dirty hit, finally decided to do what the officials wouldn't (for some reason), and let Fairley know the foul hits weren't appreciated. So he took a turn at grinding Fairley into the ground.
6. The Auburn players start throwing punches. And our team comes off the bench toward the field. Throwing punches? Really?
7. What's worse about this whole thing is that in between the dirty hits and the injuries and the flags, Gene Chizik is over there encouraging his guys... rooting them on... pumping up the crowd. He was acting like a complete neanderthal. He was doing everything short of beating his chest and head-butting his own players. This all after chosing to keep the starters in on defense well after the game was in hand, the dirty hits were being laid, and the punches were being thrown. The players were out of control, and Chizik was celebrating a win over a 5-loss team like a raging lunatic. Say what you will, but instead of getting in his guys' faces and grilling them for the dirty playing and the thrown punches, he was encouraging them.
8. Then you've got that guy on Auburn's sideline... I guess he is a coach. He runs around with his had on backwards, jumping around, and waving a towel all the time. After the scuffle in which the Auburn players were throwing punches, he goes out and high fives Fairley.
9. When it is all said and done, it is Jay Jacobs - not Chizik - who goes over to the UGA lockerroom to try to diffuse the situation.
Maybe you're right. Maybe the arrests by Georgia players off the field can justify these antics by Auburn on the field. Maybe the unsportsmanlike actions by UGA happened, no one but you has mentioned them - so I can't comment there.
ReplyDeleteBut based on what I saw, it was the dirtiest on-field antics I've seen from a group of players and coaches in a long time. And this doesn't even include the whole Newton scandal, despite Chizik - perhaps prematurely - calling it 'garbage.'
I just think that Auburn has taken what used to be a friendly rivalry and turned it to hate. Chizik is quickly making lots of enemies among coaches in the SEC. Auburn used to be my second favorite team in the SEC. No longer. For the first time in 5 years I will pulling against the SEC in the national title game... if AU actually makes it there.
Meanwhile, I will say this, if we were being disrespectful during the game, or during the pregame...then - yes - I'm ashamed of our part in that debacle. But I do not think any of our actions rose to the level of in-game intentionally dirty hits on a defenseless QB or punches thrown on the field. That's a different level. And Chizik's role in seemingly condoning that behavior sickens me.
I'm going to reserve comment on the whole Auburn program for now, as I think HGreen is right that a lot of Saturday's actions about the jawing and taunting are just indicative of a rivalry game. Grantham acting like an idiot and yelling at the fans isn't much different than Trooper Taylor jumping around doing much the same thing. If what HGreen saw is right, both Richt and Chizik were involved in the jawing and taunting. It's an intense game, it's emotional, and Auburn is probably entitled to a little revenge after we blacked their ass out in 2007 and put a biblical style beatdown on them while dancing the superman.
ReplyDeleteHowever, all that aside, Nick Fairley is a dirty player. There is no way to defend his actions and any Auburn fan that tries is fucking delusional. He actively and intentionally tried to injure another player, even after the game was in hand on that last hit where he went for the knee. Now, that itself may not be indicative of the whole Auburn program, but let's not kid ourselves that he is dirty and played dirty. Let's also not kid ourselves that the bench clearing and the punches being thrown were all consequences of Fairly's dirty play. If he playes within the confines of the game, a lot of this doesn't happen.
I agree with Fratlock too, there is a complete difference between taunting/yelling and then playing dirty to injure. Both teams may have been taunting that game, but I only saw one team playing to injure and throwing punches. Auburn fans can spin it and justify it however they want, but it won't change the fact that fairley played dirty and their coach appeared to encourage it.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Fratlock that this rivalry just got a much needed injenction of hate. I guess we had just all become complacent after 4 straight wins.
In response to H. Green:
ReplyDeleteStomping on the logo: Happens nearly every rivalry game. Not a big deal to me.
UGA "jawing" at Auburn during the TD replay: Auburn, not UGA, got penalized for this, so I'm not sure this supports your argument. In any event, "jawing" is a part of every game and not a big deal. Unless someone's mother is reference, then it's on like donkey kong.
Grantham yelling at Auburn fans: If this happened, shouldn't have done it.
Fairly: Come on, man, Auburn fans are the only people in the nation who don't think the hit on Murray's knee was intentional. Fairley was trying to hurt Murray all game long, and this is probably something you couldn't really tell if you were at the game and not watching on TV. Trust me, it was obvious he was trying to hurt Murray in a malicious way.
Chizik screaming at the D-line coach: So this negates him fist pumping and egging his team on after the game is in control, one of his players has been ejected, and he leaves his starters in till the last second? Do you even know what he said to the D line coach, or do you assume it was "I'm so mad at you, man! You're making our program look bad because our players are playing dirty! Control them!"
UGA's, not Auburn's, bench cleared: that, to me, is a team looking out for its leader because the officials aren't calling what needs to be called. If your recall, it was at this time that Fairley was running downfield and acting like a moron putting on a WWE belt, and no coaches were seriously trying to get him to stop. Fairly was later put back into the game.
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ReplyDeleteUGA's dozen arrests: Meh. The arrests are largely for minor traffic deals. I dunno. Looks bad on paper, but I don't think it necessarily means we're dirty. I won't make sweeping generalizations about Auburn's program or UGA's program based on this game.
ReplyDeleteThe allegations against Cam and Auburn haven't been proven: Well, if you think that Cam's and Auburn's hands are clean, I just think you're being naive...but the truth will come out eventually. No point in arguing this...but again, I think Auburn fans are the only ones who think Cam is completely innocent.
I'll concede that there are plenty of idiot UGA fans. Every school has idiots, and they're usually the most vocal.
You're right about passionate, sweeping indictments of a program. I will leave that to the NCAA.
ReplyDeleteFratlock:
ReplyDeleteI'm not saying that anything during the game was justified. I'm saying that to call AU out and say the program is the dirtiest you've seen in a long time when UGA was doing some of the same stuff during the game (not to mention the stuff UGA has been associated with during the offseason) is stupid.
Well, I'll stand by my comment that Auburn is the dirtiest I've seen in a long time. But that is just an opinion. Lane Kiffin would have probably had Tennessee there if he actually stayed longer than a year. But given the actions I saw from players and coaches during that game, and given all the Cam Newton smoke that is sure to reveal a steaming pile of shit when all is said and done (and Auburn's decision to play Newton despite the NCAA's warning...?), I just think I've seen more in the past week to expose Auburn, IMO, and the dirtiest I've seen in a while. I was thinking Miami and Reggie Bush while I was watching all that transpired last week and during that game. It was out of control.
ReplyDeleteSay what you will about arrests, but when people started poking around with AJ Green you didn't see Mark Richt screaming like a soccer houligan that "HE'S ELIGIBLE!" or "IT'S GARBAGE!" It was quickly no comment and he was benched pending further investigation. If it was Richt, Newton's ass wouldn't have been playing.
But, hey, congrats on 0-11. Best of luck.
Aaron Murray is courageous and a leader. He will do great things.
ReplyDeleteNewton may be the most unstoppable college player I've ever seen. He's bigger and faster than Teabow. Has as good of an arm as Stafford. It's pretty ridiculous. I am interested to see how Saint Nick schemes to beat him (and I think Bama wins this one, FYI).
Fairley is the most obvious dirty player I have ever seen. I'm sure there have been others just as dirty down in the pile or in the scrum...but Fairley's actions were out in the open for all to see and be replayed. I wish Fairley would be in Athens next year as this rivalry would definitely heat up a few degrees...
Nobody said he's eligible because everyone knew he wasn't. It was cut and dry that he violated NCAA rules. The ONLY reason Richt sat him was to go ahead and knock out his suspension after the NCAA made their decision. You are FOS if you think Richt would sit Newton if he had him. AU submitted all their information to the NCAA. You are just like every other fan that has jumped to conclusions about AU. AUBURN HAS NOT BEEN ACCUSED OF ANYTHING. No one knows what the NCAA has recommended AU do. IF the NCAA has recommended they sit Newton and AU didn't then they would be digging their own grave and I would change my mind about how I feel on the situation. However, as of now, AU is 11-0. But hey, if it makes you feel better about your crappy season to say we are 0-11, then go ahead.
ReplyDeleteAt this point, there's no clear-cut evidence that Auburn has done anything wrong. You are right. To the extent I insinuated that, I apologize. I just connected the dots, and realized the situation smells like shit. And I keep coming back to the midnight flight to Louisville, and realize anything is possible with the AU administration.
ReplyDeleteHowever, based on what I've read, I do believe they've rolled the dice by deciding to play Newton in the face of a warning from the NCAA on his eligibility. The truth is that it doesn't matter if Auburn paid him $200,000, if they are choosing to play an ineligible player. If he's ineligible, then all the games are gone - even if Auburn did not pay him. Richt said "no comment" and benched AJ Green before we knew what he had done wrong. EVERYONE knows what the Newtons' have done wrong, and yet Cam is still playing.
But, you're right. What difference does it make at this point? The worse thing that could happen is Auburn gets more probaton or more of a bowl ban for continuing to play Newton despite eligibility questions and warnings from the NCAA (and you are right, we don't know for sure if the NCAA actually said, "You should bench him given we have questions about this, or you play him at your own risk" - but the reporters I've read have said playing him is Auburn's risk... so... I'm guessing they are risking stiffer punishment? I don't know. I'm not sure what "Auburn's risk" actually means). I guess that is worth the risk, though I still don't think Richt would be playing him, much to UGA fans' chagrin. Then again, if there was anyone who would have nothing to lose right now, it'd be Richt. So, maybe I'm wrong. But Richt isn't like every other coach. He's transcendent.
Newton got paid by Auburn - it's a 100% fact. Trust me on this one.
ReplyDeleteTrust him. He's a doctor.
ReplyDeleteNo, trust me cause I have good sources.
ReplyDelete