Full Contact Tuesday: Game 2

A day at the beach was good for BUI. No internet, no Dawgs, just a nice day in the sun with plenty of happy children and some excellent go-kart racing.

Before we move on to the conference opener I have a few final thoughts on Stillwater to share.

• We are 6-4 in our last ten games.
  
• There were many, many empty seats, that would have never happened in Athens.
  
• The performance was poor, but the effort was good. That was encouraging.
• The fanbase is being fanatical, that is to be expected. The faithful are NOT calling for Richt's head, those that are have more serious problems than Georgia football and are just projecting.
• My prayers are with Trinton.
• The lockerroom and team chemistry/unity may not be all that we were told. After reading Hale's tome grading the OSU game I am very concerned. A great deal of "finger pointing" is going on. The quotes Hale provides are simply scary.  

"Coach Ball is in the box, so he doesn't have direct contact with us, and he didn't realize that until the end of the game," Moore said. "We didn't know what the rotation was going to be like and we basically stuck with just the three guys." 


"I'm not sure why we didn't sub some other people in," Cox said. "That's not my decision. Whatever reason Coach Bobo and the other coaches did that for, you'd have to ask them."

"With some of the things they were doing on defense, our playcalling was more limited that what we thought coming into the game," White said. "We have a lot more that we could throw out there. I feel like a lot of our weapons on offense weren't completely utilized to their potential."

• There are many, many more quotes like these in all the papers, basically players pointing fingers at coaches. I can't ever remeber this happening before.

Enough with all that. Let's get the grease heated up so we can fry us some chicken.

My how absence makes the heart grow fonder. Just not too sure that 20 carriers was anywhere near "too much". I just hope we have some coaches paying attentino to the substitution rotation. Caleb King expected to play against Gamecocks | Blogs.OnlineAthens.com

“I think it will be a tremendous blessing for us to get Caleb back and help Richard with the amount of volume he’s getting,” Richt said on his weekly call-in show. “He had 20 carries. I don’t know if that was too much or not.”
Samuel rushed for 89 yards in his first college start.
King began the preseason atop the depth chart, but missed more than three weeks of practice before returning on Sunday.
“He looked good,” Richt said. “I saw nothing in his gait that would make me feel like he was holding anything back. I actually saw him before practice and he said he was ready to go, he was going to play this week. We have no limitations on him in practice tomorrow other than if you give him too many reps, sometimes they’ll fatigue and when you fatigue is when you might re-pull an injury like that.”

For all the questioning of Caleb's King's mental state, I certainly hope he is back and feels appreciated.

For various reasons, all of the "border wars" are extremely important to me. This week's contest brings about a family feud situation. My Uncle and his children are Gamecocks. Last Thursday's game was the first time the Gamecocks competed in football without his presence in over 25 years. Get well soon, we will miss you this weekend.

I haven't found a lot of information on the UGA-USC game yet, most people are still "digesting" the crow we were served in Stillwater. Hope to have more soon. I for one am ready to turn my attentino to the Food Lion Footballers.

Fit to Print, But was he Fit to Play?

Not to second guess, perhaps there is no confidence in Logan Gray, perhaps they did not want to bruise Joe's confidence, perhaps that is just the best they think we can do. If he wasn't ready physically and they still thought he was our best shot, we are in trouble.

I certainly am optimistic Cox will play much better and I am sure he appreciates his coach's loyalty. Here is to hoping for a little ROI on that loyalty against columbia!
A Shaky Start for Georgia’s New Quarterback - The Quad Blog - NYTimes.com

“I thought Joe mentally did a good job, from what I can tell,” Richt said. “We didn’t feel like he made any mental errors that you could say, ‘Hey, Joe’s out of it.’ I don’t think that’s the case at all. If there’s anything and you’d have to ask Joe, it would be just how he felt physically.”

The Doc's Prognosis: Not Good

So Oklahoma State is bona fide, after all. (Aren't they?) - Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo! Sports

the Bulldogs' offense gave no indication it was capable of sustaining even one scoring drive; after its opening touchdown drive, UGA's possessions prior to falling behind by two touchdowns had amounted to five punts, two lost fumbles and a field goal. Its final possessions after that point ended with a punt and an interception, respectively.

Another great breakdown

Noops provides an excellent breakdown of the UGA offense.

Dancing in the Endzone: Examining the 1st Offensive Drive: What Worked

The 1st drive only features 2 passing plays out of 10. We ran the ball with 3 different guys, Samuel, Smith, and Gray, in differing formations. It worked to perfection.

The Senator Sums it Up

Oh, Lord. Can this be it?

Can you say “tentative”? « Get The Picture

I swear, I thought there was a stretch in the first half where Bobo looked down at his play card, decided he’d called too many running plays and went pass heavy just so he could get to a point where his calls balanced. Never mind whether his offense was moving the ball. That’s not a scheme; that’s an abstract goal. And I think the play on the field reflected that.

Game 1 Recap: This D is for the Coaching

Fortunately, I was in no shape to write this up last night.  My Bulldawg bona fides would have probably been pulled had I publicly stated my feelings without a night's sleep for perspective.

Few times have I ever been more disappointed following a loss. I can handle being beat. This was a little different.

We were not beat by better talent. Quarterback was the only position they had a decided talent edge. Their corners looked fantastic, but I thought we looked pretty good there, too.

They did not out effort us. Our effort was there. Both teams appeared to struggle with conditioning. Players could be seen cramping on both sidelines but it appeared to effect us more.

Aside from quarterback play, the biggest difference in this game was coaching. Please, do not read more into that statement than is there. I am not calling for any firings or anything like that. I am just acknowledging what appeared evident to me. While we were getting away from what worked offensively, they were making adjustments to get better.

Penalties were rampant. Georgia didn't have many, but they were all very costly and at the most inopportune times.

Officiating was inconsitent at best, but that is part of college football.  Apparently violent shots on recevers is reserved for only the home team.

Add it all up and it equates to a victory for the lesser talented team. When that happens you have to look at the ones cashing checks. The men getting paid to put their talent in the best position to win a football game.

This is not the first time we have expereinced this under the Richt regime. The good news is, when this has happened in the past, Richt and his staff have bounced back and addressed thier short comings. I expect this to again be the case and look for a totallly different game plan, or executino there of, next week.

Football can be a lot like eating boiled peanuts. When you get a bad one, the only way to get the taste out of your mouth is to eat another.

Grading the Game

Offense: D
On the opening drive of the game we appeared to be the physically dominant team. Power football was our game. The run set up the pass. The offense went downhill from there. Finesse became the mantra and it was a complete FAIL.

The Georgia Bulldawgs and their dominant I formation with a tightend and fullback blocking for a powerful running back gave way to some new spread formation team. No longer was Samuel running north and south, he was running east and west when he was even running the ball at all. The goal no longer appeared to play winning Georgia football, but rather to implement some new offense to take advantage of a DEFENSIVE BACK's skill set.

There were dropped passes and turnovers, neither are componets of winning football.  The further wer moved from away from our power running game, the less comfortable Joe Cox looked. Logan Gray did not get an opportunity. I am betting they did not want to hurt Cox's confidence anymore than the playcalling already was.

The more we passed, the worse the blocking got. This appeared to be scdheme issues and not a matter of losing the one on one battles. For the most part, Cox had time, he just could not take advantage. He played much shorter than the 6'1" the program gives him credit for. I do not think the coaches can talk about the flu because they did not give Gray a chance.

Richard Samuels ran hard and protected the ball. Although he ended up with 20 carries, we never consistently pounded him in there and let him wear the defense out. He was punishing the taclers and it was taking an effect. Play calling just did not take advantage of it.

The line play may not have been dominating, but it was certainly adequate. The players may deserve better than a D grade, but like the scoreboard and outcome, they must take what the coaching gives them.

Defense: B
Coach Willie Martinez had his unit well prepared. With the exception of a couple of times they got receivers behind our safeties, the defense played a great game, holding the Pokes to 304 total yards, and put us in a position to win.

A quarterbak with great passing skills, command of his offense, and the ability to run is difficult for any defense.  Taking that into consderation, I was pleasantly surprised with our ability to hold him to 134 yards passing.

As expected, we dominated the interior of the line of scrimmage, but were unable to consistently get any  pass rush or protect the edge against the run.

The defensive backs played extremely well but couldn't catch the ball when put in position to make the interception. Unfortunately, the refs didn't appreciate our physical play and penalized us for making great legal hits. Dez Bryant was held to 3 catches for 77 yards, but produced 2 touchdowns.

If we get 11 more weeks of play like this, the Georgia Defense will again be Junkyard worthy.

Special Teams: C
Drew Butler was the offenses best weapon. He continually kicked us out of holes with 6 punts for and overage of 57 yards. Coverage was a different story. When the Pokes were able to field his punts they averaged 15 yards a return, just awful.

Blair Walsh hit a 53 yard field goal on his only attempt, it would have been good from more than 60, outstanding! Three kickoffs were returned for an overage of 34 yards each, absolutely pitiful.

The return game was not any better than the coverage game. Penalities negated dome good punt returns by Prince Miller, otherwise we returned 3 punts for 3 yards. Yep three for three, just ugly.  On kickoff returns, we trotted out several different return men to little effect. Boykin and Smith both brought kicks deep out of the endzone.

Butler and Walsh kicked the ball well, beyond that the special teams were beat worse than any other group of players.

Coaching: D
Amazingly, the defensive coaches saved us from a big fat "F" here. I believe Mike Bobo had his worst game as Offensive Coordinator. The comparisons tothe 2005 Florida game are obvious. It looked like Joe T. 4 out there. I may be missing something, and will be sure to state it after watching the Tivo, but from my vantage point we outsmarted ourselves with the playcalling.

Perhaps Bill Young was the difference, I do not know. But something happened that was not apparent to me. We were succesful on our opening drive and abandoned the success for a totally different approach.

Game management and protecting the ball was supposed to be the strength of Joe Cox. We abandoned physical play and went into some version of the spread.  Not with Logan Gray, but with Joe Cox? Utter FAIL!

For all the talk about an emphasis on the special teams coverage, I saw absolutely no iprovement. The players may have had scholarships and speed and physicality, but the result was the same. Again, utter FAIL!

Willie and his staff were the only bright spot in the coaching ranks on this Saturday.

Overall: L
I am not qualified to sit in judgement. I am just a fan with a blog. I love this team and this staff, but this game was very disheartening. We lost and deserved to do so. We played a quality opponent with in a hostile environment. Most breaks went against us and we did not control the football.

There is lots of room for improvement and I expect we will see that improvement against columbia next week. We are undefeated in conference play and remain in control of our destiny.

So, I will try to keep my chin up, Bulldawg Nation. You do the same!

Go Dawgs!

Dawg BUI Almanac (Part 1 of 14)

T-Bone the Tilter

Originally posted 7/18/2009

September 5, 2009 3:30 PM ET

Oklahoma State Cowboys, Stillwater, Oklahoma
*** Orange Alert, bring taser

The “grand opening” of the newly refurbished T. Boone Pickens stadium, can’t wait to see it, assume the lights will be powered by windmills.

Okie State produced Thurman Thomas, Barry Sanders, in addition to Don Quixote (T-Bone the tilter). Despite these great contributions to American society, the Cowpokes carry a chip on their shoulder comparative to those of North Avenue, West Opelika, and FoodLionville. The only difference is their lack of real athletic achievement.

The only thing we have to fear in Stillwater is the color orange, the letter “z”, and an offensive tackle that resembles of circle of wagons. Dez may be gone but Zac is still there. “Man” Gundy is now 42 and facing the pressure of expectations unlike any he has ever experienced. I can’t wait for the post game news conference. Zac is still having nightmares of his visit to the Classic City. Their defense is still their defense.

Onto the game…

1st Qtr.
Dawgs win coin toss. Mark Richt shocks world by selecting to RECEIVE the kickoff. Carlton Thomas fields the kickoff and dashes to the middle; he cuts left behind a devastating block from Marcus Washington and crosses mid-field before being shoved out of bounds at the OSU 42. The first play from scrimmage sees Samuels go for 8 on a sprint draw. On second down, Bobo dials up a play-action pass which Cox completes to Green for a 34 yard touchdown.

2nd Qtr.
Dawg’s defense continues to dominate. “Man” Gundy is stupefied by the variety of blitz packages Willie Martinez is bringing. After consecutive hard blows, a shell-shocked Robinson throws one up for grabs, Reshad Jones calls “Bingo” and returns an interception 46 yards to give the Dawgs a 17-0 lead going into the half.

3rd Qtr.
Brandon Bogatay delivers his 4th consecutive kickoff through the middle of the end zone. The Pokes, unable to foil the Dawg’s pass defense, try to establish a ground game. Jeff Owens begins to give on-field sermons as to what the “G” means to him. With a dominating defense, the Dawg’s elect to play it conservative. Drew butler delivers a 54 yard punt to the Pokes 7 yard line. Two stuffed running plays and an incomplete pass lead to a Cowboy punt from their own end-zone. As the quarter comes to an end, the Dawgs are in business on the Okie State side of the field.

4th Qtr.
On 2nd and nine, Joe Cox identifies a blitz and checks to a swing pass. Cox delivers the ball perfectly and Caleb King displays the magic we have all been waiting on. King jukes 2 Cowboy defenders and outruns the rest in route to a 40 yard touchdown reception. The 4 score lead gives the Georgia staff a chance to play some of the young pups. A couple of late scores by the Cowboys and a 48 yard field goal by Blair Walsh close out the Dawg’s a 27 – 10 victory against a top 10 opponent on the road to open the 2009 campaign.

He's a Man in Orange

Originally posted July 3, 2009

We have all seen the rant, coach comes to the defense of his quarterback, and no, we are not talking about Corch Meyer, today we are talking about Mike Gundy, Head Coach of the Oklahoma State Cowboys. After a 9-4 season in 2008, Gundy begins his 5th season at his alma mater with a 27-23 record as a head coach. No, the 2007 opener in Athens didn’t count as 2 Ls for Man Gundy. Outside of the above mentioned “I’m a man” rant, what do we know about these orange clad cowboys and their coach?

The most fascinating thing I discovered is they had one helluva a punter. Frankly, I was not aware they punted in the Big12. Apparently some of those swiss cheese defenses were able to stop Zac Robinson and his natural gas, or is it wind, powered offense. In addition to Robinson’s gun slinging, the Pokes present 2 running backs that both averaged over 6.5 yards per carry last year. I dare not even mention Dez Bryant. So either Man Gundy actually knows a thing or two about offense, or just he just knows how to pick his opponents.

Les Miles appears to have left while the leaving was good, but Gundy has filled the empty cupboard the “Hat” left behind. Their offensive line is proven. Their skill position players are talented and experienced. Their video department has enough footage of Tuscaloosa, Gainesville, and North Avenue to make a Dawg tuck its tail. They will enter the game with a national ranking of somewhere around 10. Vegas has already placed them a 3.5 favorite against our visiting Dawgs.

How will we survive?
40.8 pts/game, 245.5 rushing yds/game, 242.2 passing yds/game. Hell, they only suffer 54.3 penalty yds/game. They punted 37 times in 13 games. They are converting 3rd downs at a 45% clip. 89% red zone efficiency with 68% touchdowns. They didn’t miss a PAT. I have no proof but I bet they didn’t have a single kickoff go out of bounds.

Outstanding offense, outstanding special teams, a top ten ranking, a new stadium to open the season, a “Man” for a coach, enough “Z”s on their roster to win any scrabble game, how will we survive?

We bring an unproven QB and unproven RBs. Our defense lacks depth and experience in the secondary. Our pass rush was non-existent last year. Okie State will not play by our practice rules (touch football). They are not going to put boards up along the sidelines so our kick offs do not go out of bounds. How will we survive?

WE WILL SURVIVE AND THRIVE by playing Georgia Football. We will be healthy and at full strength. We will have something to prove. Last year was an aberration, an anomaly. We lost three games, to three good teams. In those three games, we only played three halves of football.

Coach Martinez is going to show us all why he IS the Defensive Coordinator at the University of Georgia. Rennie Curran is going to show the world why he is leather-seeking missile. Jeff Owens is going to remind all of the NFL scouts what Georgia DTs are all about. Reshad Jones is going to remember how to tackle TO THE GROUND.

Joe Cox IS A WINNER, and he is going to show the world. Someone, if not several, is/are going to step up at running back. The offensive line is going to turn that swiss cheese defensive into slices so thin a deli would be proud. AJ Green is going to be AJ Green, and the other receivers are going to be wide open. Blair Walsh is going to kick it straight and true through the uprights and Brandon Bogatay is going to kick it deep and inbounds.

The Georgia Bulldogs are going to be the Georgia Bulldawgs and the Oklahoma State Cowboys are going to wear orange!

Zac Will Play, Zac Will Pay!

Apparently there was a rumor about Zac Robinson not playing Saturday due to an undisclosed injury. I can assure you Zac Robinson will pay due to a series of blows delivered by hunkering Dawgs!

Source: OSU quarterback Zac Robinson will play on Saturday | NewsOK.com

Big week, too, for the rumor mill.

After the Cowboys lost tight end Jamal Mosley and linebacker Orie Lemon — both starters — early in the week, injury reports concerning quarterback Zac Robinson and linebacker Andre Sexton created a stir Wednesday. The response among fans: Enough, already!

RotoWire.com, a fantasy sports source, reported that Robinson's status "for Saturday's game against Georgia is in doubt, due to an undisclosed injury, a source has told RotoWire.com."

False, according to a program insider at OSU.

"Absolutely, positively not true," the source told The Oklahoman.

As for Sexton, the senior linebacker is expected to play against the Bulldogs, but may have been dinged in a practice.

No Mas for This Poke

While we cannot expect "Man" Gundy to suspend any of his arrested players for the opener, there is one starter that will not be suiting up.
Tulsa World: Mosley leaving Oklahoma State football program

On OSU's depth chart released this week, Mosley was listed as a starter for Saturday's season-opening meeting with Georgia. But on Tuesday morning, Cowboy coach Mike Gundy confirmed that Mosley, a native of Memphis, Tenn., is leaving the Cowboy program.

Robinson Doesn't Respect Dawg's Bite

Apparently he has never seen Rennie Curran lower the boom, or he just is not that impressed. The thought of Geno Atkins and Jeff Owens making a sandwich out of him, nothing to fear.  Me thinks, after that first hit, his hammy will get sore.
Zac’s Ready… Now | OSU Cowboys Sports Blog

“Last week was really the first week that I cut it loose on some runs,” Robinson said. “I kind of opened it up a little bit and I’ll continue to do so more this week. I feel fine running and obviously, it’s a whole lot different for a quarterback who hasn’t been hit since last season. Once that first hit comes, I’ll be ready to go.”

Full Contact Tuesday: Game 1

The calendar says it is September. I didn't think it would ever get here. The Bulldog Boogie CD is in, the volume is up, and I am ready for some Bulldawg football!

I saw my first live Georgia Football game in 1982. Still, every season's opener feels like another first. I can only imagine how the Seniors and the Freshman must feel in practice this week. The Seniors preparing for their final campaign, the Freshman are not only going to play, but get their first taste on the road in a hostile environment. I can hardly wait!

The best thing about this opener is the opportunity to pop the bubble that is Oklahoma State. Their fans are talking all kinds of smack on their blogs. I can't wait to let the air out of that stadium.

A Prediction
After having a running play stuffed on first down, Zac Robinson will drop back to throw it on second down and will be introduced to Rennie Curran in an overly violent way. The tone will be set!

Some Bad News
BUI is pulling for Caleb, pardon the pun. I really hope this kid gets healthy, physically and mentally. He simply has too much God given talent to not have it shared with the world. Our schedule is just too difficult and the defenses are too physical to not have quality depth at running back. Get well soon CK!
King still not quite ready - University Of Georgia - Macon

Tailback Caleb King did some minor workouts with the team during Monday’s practice, but he is all but out for this weeke’s game at Oklahoma State.
Head coach Mark Richt said King would likely need to practice by Wednesday to have a shot at playing, and King said he wasn’t sure when coaches would allow him to resume full workouts.

Some Good News
We may not have Caleb King this week, but getting Ben Jones and Chris Davis back is huge. I would rather have the starting line in tack with Kalvin Daniels running the ball than have a make shift line going into T. Booneland. We have talked about it many times, bt controlling the line of scrimmage is where it all starts and I have to feel good about our chances in that regard.
Bulldogs Blog: Practice Notes: Week 1 Unlikely For King

Offensive linemen Ben Jones and Chris Davis both returned to practice Monday after missing time with ankle sprains last week.

More from Hale:

NO MORE TACKLING
Georgia wrapped up its final practice in full pads Monday, and head coach Mark Richt said the day's work was particularly encouraging.
"It's our last day in full pads, last day doing any kind of tackling drills," Richt said. "I think the guys are beginning to really sense it's here. I feel a little more excitement and animation from the guys in practice, and I'm excited about that. Tomorrow in shells and two days in shorts, get a little crowd noise, and we'll be ready to go."
Cox said the team looked sharp and the energy level was high as the Bulldogs get set for their final three days of work before starting the season.
"You can tell it's getting close, and it'll only get better as the week goes on," Cox said. "Wednesday we'll go in shorts, and that's the first time we've gone in shorts, and that'll be the first time we've gone in shorts in a long time. But everybody's excited about it. We had a lot of energy today, and it's just going to keep getting better until the game."

No Caleb, would you settle for Robert Edwards? That is the comparison Mike Bobo makes with Richard Samuels. Talk about high praise. As a little reminder, I believe it was 5 touchdowns scored by Edwards in his first big game (USC) as starting tailback.
On Jon Richt’s debut, Richard Samuel’s speed and Logan Gray’s role | UGA Sports

Bulldog Nation might not fully realize the speed of its new No. 1 tailback, Richard Samuel, who got only 26 carries last season.
“Richard can run. Richard is very fast,” UGA offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said. “When he gets out in the open field . . . compared to some guys that we’ve had in the past, I’d say he’s the fastest.”
The fastest?
Bobo said that assessment covers tailbacks Georgia has had in the nine years he’s been on the coaching staff, as well as when he played at Georgia from 1993-97.
“He’s similar [in speed] to Robert Edwards,” said Bobo, referring to Georgia’s tailback of his own playing days. “Richard might be a little bit faster.”

This and That
T Kyle talks scheduling and I tend to agree with him. I understand we are in the SEC and are in-state rival is a non-conference game, that certainly muddies things up and does not provide for any easy comparisons with other programs. I still like playing out of region non-conference games against quality foes. I do buy the travel argument and hope that can be taken into consideration in the future. If it is possible to have an off week, or a patsy week, following any long travel games I think we could have the best of both worlds.
Kyle Gets Contrary: Why I Agree With Damon Evans, and Disagree With David Hale and Mark Richt, Regarding Out-of-Conference Scheduling - Dawg Sports

We here at Dawg Sports are huge David Hale fans, as evidenced by MaconDawg’s recent interview with the man himself. David is thorough, insightful, and informative, and he offers measured, reflective opinions without passion or prejudice. Respect for him in these parts is substantial. Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean we always see eye to eye, and this is one of those times when reasonable bloggers disagree.

One of BUI's favorite Dawg Blawgers talks about breaking the familly chains to Orange. We are very proud of you Bernie.
Bernie's Dawg Blawg: Red Flags Over Clempson

If you were not already aware, I am the product of an IPTAY marriage. Luckily my parents had enough sense to raise me in Athens. I tell them it was so Child Protective Services would get off of their backs.

AuditDawg, who obviously is spending way to much time on his CPA exams, forgets that past performance does not gurauntee future performance and goes out on a twig in his predictions for the year. FYI, I HATE Auburn!
Some more early predictions « The Hobnail Boot

(11) Saturday, November 14th, Auburn @Athens, GA: Loss
The dreaded 1st year Auburn coach playing in Athens syndrome strikes again and Auburn wins between the Hedges. This serves as Gene Chizik’s only memorable victory of the year as Auburn is on its way to another 5-7 season.

Go DAWGS!

Another Pokie gets Busted

Tulsa World: OSU's Cox arrested on complaint of driving with suspended license

Oklahoma State cornerback Perrish Cox was arrested on a complaint of driving with a suspended license on Friday, the Stillwater police department confirmed on Monday.

L.A. via Stillwater

With apologies to the CDB's Uneasy Rider

Normally, like now, I get a little nervous in the days leading up to a new season. Last year I bought into the hype, let my heart control my head and was the ultimate over-confident fan. This year I am back to normal, sweating everything and looking for what could go wrong when there is obviously much that could go right.

Saturday's game is the first in what promises to be a very difficult schedule. Oklahoma State, a top 10 team, in Stillwater, in front of about 50,000 Cowboy fans, in a newly refurbished stadium, on national television. Sounds like Mark Richt's kind of briar patch.

What better opportunity  to prove one's worth.  Young puppies will mature into prized Dawgs. Unproven players that have waited their turns will be rewarded. Respect will be earned.

A victory in Stillwater is the prescribed tonic to rid ourselves of last year's ailments, to fortify ourselves for this years SEC battles. Stillwater will serve as a springboard, once again giving the Dawgs the opportunity to reach new hieght under Richt. The season may get tougher as it goes, these first two months are surely brutal. But Stillwater, like some mythical fountain worthy of Spanish exploration, Stillwater will soothe our souls and reinforce our resolve.

There have been many comparisons between DJ Shockley and Joe Cox. The comparison the matters most is how Mark Richt has bounced back from dissapointment, regardless of personnel. 2004 was a dissappointment, many vaunted senoirs led an underachieving unit. Nothing was expeccted of the 2005 team but rebuilding. Sound familiar?

Stillwater will set the tone for the season. I am not expecting AC/DC, no, for me it will be Aretha Franklin: R E S P E C T

Richt and the Dawgs will earn it in Stillwater. They may not get it from the Gameday crew, but I care more about the respect the earn in themselves. For that kind of respect is a currency that goes a long way toward championships.

I can't wait to get to Stillwater.  GO DAWGS!!!

Stillwater, The Redcoats are Coming

There can be no better evidence of the fury about to descend on Stillwater than these reports from the US Geological Survey. While there is no certain proof the Dawgs caused the Grand Canyon with their whipping of the Sun Devils, these tremblings are certainly ominous warnings to the Cowboy faithful and their Pickens plan. While they have already felt the earth move under their feet, next the sky will come tumbling down.... wait, that was Carole King.  Anyway, get ready Stillwater, the Redcoats are Coming.  So order extra bourbon and beer. We do not want a repeat of the empty shelves we experienced in Tempe. BUI!

More earthquakes reported in central Oklahoma | NewsOK.com

All but one of the earthquakes was reported in eastern Oklahoma County, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The other quake one was reported northeast of Ada early Thursday.

Gundy, Gundy, Gundy

Wow, it is not that often the University of Georgia is deemed the biggest game ever for a Big 12 program.  Would this game even make the top 25 biggest games for Georgia? I do not think so.
All’s Quiet In Stillwater | OSU Cowboys Sports Blog

Maybe Gundy sensed his players needed to circle the wagons, albeit from themselves, not us, with the overwhelming majority of preseason stories packed with positives.

Maybe he sensed his guys were impacted by all the attention, both local and national, although it’s something the program and its fans have long craved and cried out for.

Maybe Gundy felt that to ensure the best chance at beating Georgia in the program’s biggest game ever, his team’s focus needed to be clear and tight.

It's Tuesday, Buckle Those Chin-Straps

For no apparent reason, I am beginning to tense up as I walk by strangers, as if I am preparing to be#34 running over Bill Bates.  I hope nobody in my presence these next few days dares to wear orange. I cannot be held responsible.  Hunker Down!!

Nice piece on Kade Weston: Weston hidden behind hyped duo at DT | Football | OnlineAthens.com

"As far as potential, I haven't had that confidence in a group in a long time," Garner said. "As far as feeling that they're interchangeable, as far as being able to mix and match starters. I remember when I had (Richard) Seymour and (Marcus) Stroud and Johnathan Sullivan was backing them up. I felt like it was interchangeable. Right now, I feel like I've got a lot of options."

I really believe nobody feels the sting of last year's season quite like Coach Richt. He may be trying to "share his pain" with his players. GATA, Coach!:
Grueling practices help Georgia make up for lost time - University Of Georgia - Macon

As the injuries accumulated last season, Georgia’s practices were scaled back. Richt rolled the dice on preparing his players in order to avoid the risk of another costly injury. The result was a series of lapses in basic fundamentals that often bordered on embarrassment, and the Georgia head coach vowed a change this year.

There isn’t a player in the Bulldogs’ locker room willing to say Richt didn’t follow through on his promise. Their bodies are a testament to how grueling this preseason has been. The tempo has been frenetic, the contact has been brutal and the preparation has been sharp. With temperatures approaching triple digits, the Bulldogs have stayed late on the practice fields routinely, running additional drills and pushing their bodies to the breaking point. It has been a tribute to the intensity the team sorely lacked a year ago.

Just read this:Bernie's Dawg Blawg: Bracing for IMPACT

I know this could generate some interesting discussion and I've been wanting to post it for a couple weeks. But truthfully, I've had some trouble narrowing this list down. But as Kramer would say, It's GO time!

ABIX is auditioning for a job with ESPN, either that or he is drinking from Schlabach's thermos : A Bulldog in Exile: The SEC East, One Blogger's View

Florida: OMG!1! They are the bestest ever. TGCPE is back. All 22 from the two deep on defense are back. Florida will be tough. However, last year showed that even Superman gets the blues. TGCPE isn't going to win the Heisman. He'll be elected President in 2048. He'll lose re-election in 2052 to an upstart from Oklahoma. Florida's 19 70+ year streak with at least one loss is safe.

I am guessing Rex also thinks we will be running it right at 'em : So Far, I’m Wrong and Loving It | Roughing the Kicker by Rex Robinson

I believe the continued emergence of Richard and Associates will be an answer to prayer and The Bulldog Nation is very, very thankful for that.

The Ted, not just a baseball stadium anymore : Freshman spotlight: TE Orson Charles « The Chapel Bell

And don’t be surprised if you see Charles split out wide in what Richt calls the Ted formation, where a tight end lines up in the slot. If he can grasp the scheme, Charles could be deadly in this role.

Schultz goes fishing in a barrel : Countdown: Gundy (quack), Vick (Goose), Holtz (turkey) | Jeff Schultz

“You’ve got a lot of cute girls out there. There’s a lot of things going on. Guys have to focus. We’re trying to reel them in. … There’s a lot of distractions right now. Because we can’t keep them in camp. They’re out there on campus.” Oh no. Not campus! Maybe barbed wire fences would help, coach?

Like a call from your mother-in-law just when the wife is feeling amorous, Bradley chimes in : 5 reasons Georgia should be concerned about Joe Cox | Mark Bradley

Panic: Here Comes the Spread (It has to be Wide)

Georgia has started putting in the game plan for the Pokes and the Scout Team is running the Spread and BUI finally has most all of its affairs in order. A new pair of red slacks has been purchased (a size bigger this year) and all I have left to do is secure my duckets for the WLOCP.  Visited a Super Walmart in Florida with a liiquor store over the weekend. Jim Beam was $21.99/1.5L. I bought two cases. Yes, Bernie, I am ready!

He's a Man, Leave Him Alone: Tulsa World: Why did Gundy lock the gates?

Only a small handful of media types — those considered friends of the program — are allowed to watch Mike Gundy hold practice at Boone Pickens Stadium.

Zac Took a Tug: Tulsa World: OSU storylines

Is Zac Robinson's hamstring really healed or just OK for the time being? OSU is positioned for a run at a possible dream season, but Robinson's involvement is essential. Head coach Mike Gundy seems frustrated that neither Brandon Weeden nor Alex Cate has clearly become the No. 2 quarterback.

They are all Geeked Up, Can we get'em to Wear Black: Tulsa World: Best ever: A look at the upcoming college football season

A look at some of the players and storylines that could make this season one of the most exciting ever for college football fans in Oklahoma.

When Zac Pulls a Hammy, It Stays Pulled

Tulsa World: OSU storylines

Is Zac Robinson's hamstring really healed or just OK for the time being? OSU is positioned for a run at a possible dream season, but Robinson's involvement is essential. Head coach Mike Gundy seems frustrated that neither Brandon Weeden nor Alex Cate has clearly become the No. 2 quarterback. What becomes of the Cowboy offense if one of the backups starts against Houston or Missouri?

It's Pokes, not Pukes

Hamstings still hurting in Stillwater, also:Tulsa World: Practice Report: Oklahoma State

Quarterback Zac Robinson, hobbled by what Gundy has described as a slight hamstring pull, has been limited in his practice participation since Sunday. He is not expected to scrimmage on Saturday.

Rennie Curran is All-SEC, but Stillwater provides the perfect measuring stick the show his worth on a national scale:Tulsa World: State players on Maxwell list

Cowboys quarterback Zac Robinson, running back Kendall Hunter and wide receiver Dez Bryant are also among the 55 players named to the list.

Kickers? This one has a Markie Mark crush going on: Tulsa World: Get to know OSU's Quinn Sharp

If someone turned your life story into a Hollywood movie, which actor would portray your character?
I'd say Mark Wahlberg. I like him a lot. He's a good guy.