Dawg Sports

A Look Ahead at the Georgia Bulldogs' 2013 Football Schedule: Back to the Future

2010-03-11T01:49:10Z

We need to play Clemson more…some of those names, Igwebuike in particular, raised my blood pressure just a tad.

DavetheDawg

As an emphatic advocate for reviving the rivalry, I could not agree more wholeheartedly with the above sentiment. I was, therefore, most pleased when Georgia and Clemson announced in 2005 that the Bulldogs and the Tigers would tangle with one another in 2013 and 2014, with the former game being played in Death Valley and the latter contest taking place in Sanford Stadium.

At the time, the exact dates of the games had not yet been determined, but it seemed logical for the two teams to face off in the season opener for both squads. That, though, is not to be, as David Hale confirms. The Red and Black will host the Mean Green of North Texas on August 31, 2013, and Appalachian State will come calling in the Classic City at a later date that same autumn.

Presently, there are four available Saturdays on the Bulldogs’ 2013 slate: September 7, between home dates against North Texas and South Carolina; September 21, between home dates against South Carolina and Alabama; October 5, between a home date against Alabama and a road game at Tennessee; and November 9, between a neutral site date against Florida and a home game against Auburn.

Three of those dates make no sense. Shoehorning a road game against Clemson between Alabama and Tennessee or between Florida and Auburn would be suicidal, and opening the season with back-to-back patsy games against North Texas and Appalachian State would defeat a large part of the purpose of such outings. It makes considerably more sense to move the date with the Mountaineers to one of the open Saturdays before the Alabama, Tennessee, or Auburn games (much as Georgia did with Tennessee Tech last year).

In practical terms, that means the only sensible date for the Classic City Canines’ clash with the Fort Hill Felines is September 7, after the season opener against North Texas but before the SEC opener against South Carolina.

If that turns out to be the case, the 2013 season will feature a Vince Dooley-style schedule . . . and, for once, I mean that as a compliment. Back in the day, when both the Country Gentlemen and the Gamecocks were perennial non-conference foes, Georgia routinely made the Palmetto State circuit in consecutive contests.

Between the first series meeting in 1894 and the latest series meeting in 2009, the Bulldogs played South Carolina 62 times. Between the first series meeting in 1897 and the latest series meeting in 2003, the Bulldogs played Clemson 62 times. Georgia faced both opponents from our neighboring state back-to-back as early as 1903 and such a sequence became the norm in 1962.

In his 25-year career on the Red and Black sideline, Coach Dooley faced the Gamecocks and the Tigers one right after the other sixteen times. Of Coach Dooley’s six Southeastern Conference championship teams, half featured contests with both Palmetto State opponents in consecutive outings.

Once finalized, the Bulldogs’ 2013 slate is apt to have a familiar look to it. Think of it as a "throwback" schedule. With a little luck, maybe it will feature some throwback results, as well.

Go ‘Dawgs!

You Win Some, You Lose Some, and Tonight Was Rained Out

2010-03-11T00:18:24Z

Following Tuesday night's debacle, the Diamond Dogs were slated to take on the Owls in Kennesaw tonight, but the inclement weather caused the game to be canceled. Honestly, I'm having a hard time viewing this as a bad thing.

As a result, Georgia gets the night off and the Classic City Canines will return to the diamond on Friday to begin a three-game set with Siena. Hopefully, the Saints---yes, I had to Google it, too---will be sky-high over their basketball team's MAAC tournament championship and will not bring their A game to Athens. We could use an opponent's C game right about now.

Go 'Dawgs!

Um, this is still a good baseball conference, right? At least, it used to be. Right? I'm not...

2010-03-10T12:09:46Z

Um, this is still a good baseball conference, right? At least, it used to be. Right? I'm not misremembering things, am I? Because this didn't look like a very good baseball conference on Tuesday.

Sure, you expect a team like Tennessee to lose to a team like Western Kentucky once in a while. The Hilltoppers are a pretty good team, and the Vols are far from one of the SEC's name brands. So a 5-4 defeat in extra innings isn't too bad.

But Arkansas -- losing to South Dakota State?!? Arkansas is supposed to be a good team. Ranked and everything. South Dakota State is not. How not? Boyd's World has them 185th in its pseudo-RPI. This, suffice it to say, not ranked. And while the "whatever you call South Dakota State"s having a winning record, that RPI is below, say, 4-8 Kennesaw State. The Owls are 151st.

Speaking of Kennesaw State: Georgia played them Tuesday. And lost. By a score of 11-1. To put that in football terms for SEC fans, it would be like Vanderbilt defeating Alabama. By 70.

Baseball is a strange game. Unlike college football, the better team will lose many times over the course of a season. So, all hope is not lost for any of these teams yet.

C&F calls 'em like he sees 'em.

I actually think that was intended to make Georgia fans feel better. If so, it failed utterly at its objective.

Diamond Dogs' Disastrous 2010 Campaign Continues: Kennesaw State Owls 11, Georgia Bulldogs 1

2010-03-10T01:32:03Z

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Kennesaw State	0	0	7	0	1	1	0	1	1	11	13	1
Georgia	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	6	3

Following a recent run so sorry it even brought forth an outpouring of sympathy from a South Carolina fan, the Diamond Dogs returned home to Foley Field for a game against Kennesaw State that might have been just what the doctor ordered, were it not for the fact that the Clarke County club has struggled with its Cobb County neighbor. Once again, the Owls were not what they seemed, as KSU crushed the home team on Tuesday night.

Following a hitless first frame featuring a pair of hit batsmen and a scoreless second stanza producing only one baserunner, Kennesaw State took command in the top of the third canto. The big inning began with a leadoff single by Peyton Hart. Jordan Craft notched a base hit of his own in the next at-bat and, with one out away, Tyler Stubblefield sent a single into left field to score a run. A Josh Whitaker walk loaded the bases for Drew Fowlkes, who was issued the base on balls that forced home another run.

At that point, Eric Swegman was pulled from the mound and replaced by Blake Dieterich, who struck out Ronnie Freeman before plunking Clint Roques to bring home a run, surrendering the single to Ross Tendler that pushed two more across, and giving up the ensuing base hit to Hart that scored two more. By the time Craft popped up, the Owls held a 7-0 lead.

Georgia’s only response was a leadoff home run by Cooper Moseley in the bottom of the canto. KSU went three up and three down in the visitors’ half of the fourth frame and the Bulldogs loaded the bases in the lower half of the canto yet came away with nothing. The Owls turned two hits, a hit batsman, and a Red and Black error into a run in the top of the fifth inning but the Athenians offered no retort in their turn at bat, as the side was retired in sequence.

A double, a walk, and an error allowed Kennesaw State to plate an unearned run in the upper half of the sixth stanza. Georgia responded with another hitless inning. Each team registered a hit yet neither team scored a run in the seventh frame. A walk and a pair of singles added up to a run for the Owls in the top of the eighth canto. No Diamond Dog reached base in the bottom of the inning.

A single, another Georgia error, and a triple tacked on another KSU run in the top of the ninth frame before the Bulldogs came up for their last chance at making a game of it. The Red and Black had two men aboard with one man out when Moseley sent a double-play ball to short.

We have now entered the territory occupied by Albert Brooks during his historic on-air attack of flop-sweat in "Broadcast News": this is so off-the-chart bad, it has just gotten funny. Georgia committed three meaningful errors; Kennesaw State was not guilty of a miscue until the ninth stanza, when the game was well out of reach. The Bulldogs gave up a big inning early and surrendered scores in four of the final five frames to allow the Owls to build on their lead, whereas the Red and Black came within one swing of the bat of being shut out at home. Had the Classic City Canines collected twice as many hits as they did, KSU still would have out-hit the Athenians.

Georgia used six pitchers and the only one who didn’t give up a run was Zach Laughlin, who faced the last three Kennesaw State batters of the contest. The first seven Bulldogs in the Red and Black order together went two for 23 with no runs, no RBI, and one walk. Those are the kinds of statistics you make up for a fictional account of a band of lovable losers who are transformed into champions in the second half of the film by grit, moxie, gumption, the homespun wisdom of an irascible manager whose gruff exterior conceals a soft heart underneath, and the love of an alabaster beauty of wealth and breeding who cheers on the indefatigable hero while wearing a wide-brimmed hat.

In reality, however, those numbers merely represent evidence that last year’s late-season disaster has carried over to a 2010 that already is circling the drain. Those of us who view the glass as half-empty (or worse) just picked up a few more votes for our position.

Go ‘Dawgs!

Scouting Report Request from the Falcoholic

2010-03-09T19:46:32Z

Afternoon, Dawgs fans.

Dropping by from SB Nation's Atlanta Falcons blog with a request for scouting info on UGA's potential 2010 draftees. Planning a post on local guys the Falcons could draft, ranked by how likely we are to pick them up.

As a Tech fan (BOOOO) who sees only a couple UGA games per year, I have a few questions, especially about Rennie Curran and Reshad Jones.

Jones plays a position at which the Falcons are set with young talent. Is there any way he could convert to cornerback? That might sound like a stupid, stupid question, but I just want to make sure. Otherwise he'd probably be ranked right around last on the Draftability Scale, as nobody intentionally drafts a backup in round 2-3.

How do you see Curran translating to the NFL? I know he plays the run very well and wasn't asked to blitz much, but do you have any sense of his pass rush skills? That's likely to be Concern 1A for Atlanta in this draft. Pass coverage? I'm guessing he played special teams as a freshman or so -- HOW'D THAT GO? Curran seems to have pretty high Falcon Draftability at this point.

Also, any comments you could lend on any other likely or possible draft picks -- Geno Atkins, Jeff Owens, Prince Miller, etc. -- would be super appreciated.

How Bad Is It to be a Georgia Bulldogs Fan Right Now?

2010-03-08T23:00:32Z

While I am thankful for the fact that Spencer Hall regarded the arrest as bureaucratic and mundane after the fashion of most such arrests of Bulldog players, the fact that Zach Mettenberger was arrested over the weekend merely adds to my conviction that University of Georgia athletics should be declared a federal disaster area. Since the Red and Black’s Sugar Bowl beatdown of Hawaii on New Year’s Day 2008, the news has been almost universally bad across the board in all sports, with occasional (and largely ignored) positive developments in the tennis, golf, swimming and diving, equestrian, softball, and (with noteworthy exceptions) gymnastics programs. For some fan bases, March 6 was a perfect day, but Saturday was just another dismal day in Bulldog Nation. We have seen a lot of those in the last two years, two months, and seven days.

I freely admit that I stand firmly in the camp that says the glass is ~~empty~~ ~~spilled~~ ~~shattered into jagged shards that will cut you if you even so much as touch the remnants of the glass~~ half-empty. I recognize (with gratitude, in fact) that others feel differently. Accordingly, I submit the following in an effort to take the temperature of Bulldog Nation:

Go ‘Dawgs!

Georgia Quarterback Battle May Have Just Gotten a Little Easier

2010-03-08T17:32:14Z

Georgia Quarterback Battle May Have Just Gotten a Little Easier

Dang.

The only good news appears to be that his alleged fake driver's license wasn't expired.

Go 'Dawgs!

Diamond Dogs Disaster: Florida State Seminoles 17, Georgia Bulldogs 5

2010-03-08T00:05:57Z

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Georgia	0	1	0	3	0	0	1	0	0	5	5	2
Florida State	2	5	0	1	6	3	0	0	X	17	11	2

After being embarrassed by the Tribe on Friday and Saturday, the Diamond Dogs looked to salvage at least a few tattered shreds of dignity and hope in Sunday afternoon’s outing against Florida State in Tallahassee. Instead, the Classic City Canines were sent back to Athens with their tails between their legs as the home team completed the sweep in yet another dominant performance.

The game began by following a familiar pattern. The Red and Black were set down in order in the top of the first frame before the Seminoles leapt out to an early lead in the bottom of the inning. A Tyler Holt walk, a James Ramsey single, and a Peter Verdin error put two runners in scoring position and Stephen Cardullo brought them both home with a base hit.

Georgia responded in the visitors’ half of the second stanza when Christian Glisson drew a one-out walk and took second when Geoff Parker was charged with an error on a failed pickoff attempt. Zach Cone dropped a double into left field to score an unearned run. The Tribe then returned to the plate, where the Floridians turned three singles and two hit batsmen into three runs.

Chase Hawkins came on in relief of Michael Palazzone with one out away and the bases loaded. He surrendered a two-out base hit to Sherman Johnson that pushed two more runs across before the inning ended. Following a third canto in which neither club registered a hit, the Classic City Canines showed some signs of life in the top of the fourth frame.

A one-out single by Colby May and an ensuing double by Glisson put two Bulldogs in scoring position, allowing Robert Shipman to plate a pair of runs with a base hit to center field. An FSU error and consecutive bases on balls forced home another run to make the score 7-4. It did not stay that way for long.

An error and a balk in the bottom of the stanza enabled a Stuart Tapley single to bring in an unearned run, and, after the Diamond Dogs went three up and three down in the upper half of the fifth inning, Cecil Tanner took over the hurling duties in the home half of the frame just in time to see the dam broken wide open by the Seminoles. With two men out and three men on, the latest Georgia hurler threw the wild pitch that allowed Florida State to score another run.

Back-to-back walks forced home an additional run and a balk brought one more across before a single and a wild pitch scored three more in a weird one-hit, six-run inning. From there, it was merely a matter of playing out the string. Alex McRee walked the bases loaded to begin the bottom of the sixth stanza and the Seminoles turned that into a three-run inning. The Diamond Dogs returned the favor by drawing consecutive bases on balls to start the top of the seventh canto and using that pair of walks to generate a run. That marked the end of the scoring, so Florida State put a 17-5 victory into the books.

This series was wholly lacking in positive attributes for the Diamond Dogs. In three games in Tallahassee, the Red and Black were out-hit 38-21 and outscored 38-8. On Sunday, Michael Palazzone surrendered six earned runs in barely over an inning’s worth of work and the Georgia bullpen issued twelve---that’s right, a dozen---walks while carding a single---one; count it: one---strikeout. The first four hitters in the Bulldog batting order collectively went one for fifteen and struck out six times.

Damon Evans needs to place a call to FEMA. With the way University of Georgia athletics have been going for the last two years and two months, it’s high time Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall was declared a disaster area.

Go ‘Dawgs!

Georgia Bulldogs Embarrassed on Road in Baseball and Basketball, Impressive at Home in Gymnastics

2010-03-07T02:33:06Z

Saturday was a busy day throughout Bulldog Nation, and not least of all in my household, as today marked the occasion of my daughter’s second birthday party. That combination of major Georgia sporting events with significant personal obligations prevented me from devoting individual writeups to each of three different athletic contests, so I hope you will pardon me for borrowing a page from Inigo Montoya, who once said: "Let me explain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up."

Men’s Basketball - LSU Tigers 50, Georgia Bulldogs 48: Mark Fox’s first season concluded without a conference win in a road game. Jeremy Price’s jump shot in the closing seconds likely would have forced overtime, but the basket failed to fall and the Hoop Dogs became just the second SEC victim of an 11-19 Louisiana State squad. The loss left the Fox Hounds stranded as the sixth seed in the Eastern Division, as a result of which Georgia will face the Arkansas Razorbacks in the first round of the SEC tournament in Nashville on Thursday. The Red and Black were beaten by the Hogs in Athens on February 3.

While the Bulldogs generally have played more fundamentally sound basketball under Coach Fox’s direction, and while it is clear that his program will be a contender if it can ever develop adequate depth, the truth is that this was yet another disheartening loss. The Classic City Canines have dropped seven outings this season by margins of four or fewer points, including two in the team’s last four games. Eventually, it becomes necessary to close the deal consistently. I believe that day will come, but today was not that day, and today’s poor effort gave me reason to believe that day will come later rather than sooner.

Gymnastics - Georgia Bulldogs 197.9, UCLA Bruins 197.875: In a clash of longtime powers in the sport, the fifth-ranked Gym Dogs defeated No. 3 UCLA in the meet that made the Red and Black look like contenders once again. The Bruins posted an exceptional 197.875 overall score, which would have been more than adequate to secure the victory on most weekends. The confrontation came down to the final performance of the fourth rotation, when Courtney McCool carded a 9.925 in the floor exercise to put Georgia over the top.

By every measure, it was the finest all-around performance by the Gym Dogs in 2010. UCLA tallied the third-highest score posted in the country this year, and the Gym Dogs beat it by coming through in the end to notch the second-best score earned by any NCAA gymnastics team this season. Grace Taylor put up the first perfect 10 by a Georgia gymnast this year and three Athenian ladies won outright or tied for the lead in three of the four events. Georgia has now won 33 straight meets in Stegeman Coliseum. Jay Clark needed a signature win over a marquee program to show that the Red and Black were not reduced to also-ran status by the departure of Suzanne Yoculan. Now he has just such a victory to his credit.

Baseball - Florida State Seminoles 9, Georgia Bulldogs 2: Second verse, same as the first. Jeff Walters was forced from the mound in the second stanza after having walked six and surrendered three earned runs. The Seminoles exploded in a six-hit, five-run fourth frame that broke the game wide open and the Diamond Dogs managed only a Johnathan Taylor RBI single in the third inning and a Colby May RBI double in the eighth canto.

I know the Classic City Canines are a young team beset by injuries, but this is ridiculous. Brett DeLoach (2 for 3) was the only Bulldog batter to card more than one hit, and, despite drawing six walks, the Red and Black could not manage to push more than two runs across the plate. Georgia played error-free baseball and the final two Bulldog hurlers (Cooper Moseley and Blake Dieterich) combined for four scoreless innings in which they fanned two, walked one, and allowed only a pair of hits. Nevertheless, the Diamond Dogs failed to compete with a quality opponent, and nothing in the Athenians’ last three outings suggests that this squad is up to the task of topping a team with a pulse anywhere other than Foley Field.

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Georgia	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	2	10	0
Florida State	0	3	1	5	0	0	0	0	X	9	13	0

Go ‘Dawgs!

Georgia Bulldogs at LSU Tigers Game Day Open Comment Thread

2010-03-06T20:30:14Z

The Georgia Bulldogs are on the road in Baton Rouge to take on a Louisiana State squad that has struggled even more than the inaugural edition of Mark Fox's Hoop Dogs. This is Georgia's last and best chance at a true road win this season and the contest could impact seeding for the SEC tournament.

If you couldn't make it out to the Pelican State for the game, by all means, jump in and join the fun in the comments below.

Go 'Dawgs!

Diamond Dogs Report: Florida State Seminoles 12, Georgia Bulldogs 1

2010-03-06T02:04:48Z

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Georgia	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	6	1
Florida State	0	2	4	3	3	0	0	0	X	12	14	1

If you want the short version of the Diamond Dogs’ series-opening game against Florida State on Friday night, just replay Georgia’s midweek loss to Alabama. We were warned that the Seminoles were offensively potent, and they proved it in a 12-1 annihilation of the Red and Black.

The scoreless first frame actually appeared promising for the Classic City Canines, as Johnathan Taylor led off with a single and the Tribe’s only baserunner was plunked by Justin Grimm. It was all downhill from there for the Diamond Dogs, though. After Georgia went three up and three down in the visitors’ half of the second stanza, a pair of singles and a Kevin Ruiz error allowed an unearned run to score, then a wild pitch followed by a base hit plated another.

Taylor’s two-out single was all the Athenians had to show for the top of the third canto, but James Ramsey began the bottom of the inning with a bang when he sent a solo shot to right field. A base hit, a walk, a double-play ball, and another base on balls set the stage for the Justin Gonzalez home run that made it 6-0 for the home team.

The Diamond Dogs generated a run in the upper half of the fourth frame on a leadoff single by Peter Verdin, a Seminole error, a groundout, and a flyout. Florida State answered in the bottom of the stanza on a couple of singles followed by a Ramsey home run. The side was retired in sequence in the top of the fifth frame, but the lower half of the canto saw the bases loaded with one out when three of the first four Tribe batters walked, singled, and were plunked, respectively. A base hit by Stephen Cardullo brought two men home and a subsequent sacrifice fly scored one more.

Singles by Taylor and Verdin in the visitors’ half of the sixth stanza were erased by inning-ending strikeouts, while a pair of FSU walks in the home team’s turn at the plate were nullified by a double play. Christian Glisson produced the only hit by either team in the seventh frame, and, following a hitless eighth canto, the Red and Black came up to bat for the final time. Zach Taylor and Robert Shipman both drew bases on balls before Lance Martin went down swinging and Glisson grounded into the double play that put a second straight humiliating setback into the books.

Aside from the fact that the errors were even at one apiece, this outing was just as atrocious as Wednesday night’s. Johnathan Taylor (3 for 4) and Peter Verdin (2 for 3) between them accounted for five of Georgia’s six hits and no individual Bulldog batter had both an RBI and a hit to his credit. The Seminole hurlers carded ten strikeouts and did not issue a walk in the first eight innings, while Red and Black starter Justin Grimm surrendered eleven hits and seven earned runs in a scant four frames.

Right now, this is not a good baseball team. The Classic City Canines currently are capable of eking out victories over inferior opponents but are not able to take the field against competent competition. Not only does the string of College World Series appearances in even-numbered seasons appear very much in peril, but it appears highly doubtful that a winning record is even in the cards. If this young team does not grow up in a hurry, the Diamond Dogs will turn out to be as much of an embarrassment as . . . well, pretty much all the major Georgia sports teams in the last year or two, actually.

Go ‘Dawgs!

Programming Note: Dawg Sports Radio Appearance at 6:30 Tonight

2010-03-05T21:43:40Z

I apologize for the short notice, but the details were finalized only moments ago. I am scheduled to appear at 6:30 this evening to discuss the opening of the Bulldogs' spring practice with Kevin Thomas on The Fan Sports Radio 790 and 1350, covering Southeast Georgia and Northeast Florida. Tune in if you get the chance.

Go 'Dawgs!

Get back in that huddle and do it right this time!

2010-03-05T02:12:41Z

Get back in that huddle and do it right this time!

Todd Grantham on the first day of spring practice.

I like this guy, but I hope "your ass" appeared between the first and second words of that exclamation and David Hale omitted them out of a sense of propriety.

Go 'Dawgs!

The 'Dawgs Of Spring: QB Battle Royale.

2010-03-04T15:16:32Z

I know. With all of the excitement surrounding Mark Fox's basketball team, the Diamond Dogs, Georgia gymnastics, and loyal DawgSports readers battling the elements, you hardly even noticed that spring practice begins in Athens this afternoon. Oh, who am I kidding? Like me, you've probably been counting down the days since January. Spring practice has always been one of my favorite pages on the football calendar because, much like spring training in baseball, it's the time for renewal. Possibilities abound.

The only thing more abundant in the Classic City this spring than possibilities will be storylines. You will hear all about new defensive coaches, defensive players in new positions, even how Mark Richt is organizing the practice agenda. If you thrive on change, the University of Georgia football office is the place for you my friend. They've got it in spades.

Me? I don't really dig change. I prize continuity, which of course explains why I am so disconcerted by the fact that we'll be starting our third different quarterback in three seasons come September. That makes me nervous. Like, "Coach Dye, it's the NCAA on line one . . ." nervous.

I should be comforted by the fact that we have the most seasoned offensive line of the Mark Richt era. Not to mention two guys who, with apologies to the former walk-on quarterback in the Governor's Mansion, run this state. But I remember the last time I exhibited hubris in the face of quarterback uncertainty. The result? Losses to Kentucky and Vanderbilt in the same season, the untimely demise of Doug Gillett's toaster, and the realization that who takes the snaps really does matter. I will not exhibit such brazen optimism again. I will assume that whoever lines up under center for the beginning of the 2010 season has the pocket presence of a palsied goat and the howitzer-caliber arm strength of my Aunt Tessie.

Who in fact will take the snaps on September 5? I'm not sure. Based solely upon what I saw last season, what I saw of the 3 contenders in high school, and what I've heard from those who watch more practice than I do, I'd guess Aaron Murray. He has the Colt McCoy seal of approval. And unlike Logan Gray, I haven't watched him wander around Jacksonville Municipal Stadium doing a palsied goat impersonation.

To be fair, Gray entered the 2009 Georgia/Florida game under far from ideal circumstances. He responded, however, by doing nothing to make me think that he would have left Joe Cox in a better position had their respective roles been reversed. If Logan Gray were going to seize the reins in Athens, i believe he would have done so by now. And if Logan Gray emerges from the spring scrum as your starter, I would not be excited about that. Because it means that our two redshirt freshman bluechippers were unable to unseat a guy who has divided his time between signalcaller and not-so-secret-punt-fair-catch-specialist.

Zach Mettenberger is intriguing if only because the kid really does have a rocket arm. Seriously, if you've ever just watched him wing it down the field it is pretty impressive. Former Tennessee QB Tee Martin claims that Mettenberger throws the ball so hard it whistles as it goes by you, which is either very impressive on Mettenberger's part or a sign that Tee Martin needs to get a hearing test. Who knows which is the case?

But I believe Mettenberger was hampered by playing in a run-oriented offense until his senior season in high school. I don't know if he's been able to develop the proper read/reaction and throwing touch to beat out Murray and Gray. But again, it's not like a blogger like me has a lot to go on.

One near certainty you can count on is this: Mark Richt and Mike Bobo will not likely announce a clear cut starter at the end of spring drills. Sure, someone will nominally be first on the depth chart, but Coach Bobo made clear that this thing is going to be an open competition. And you get the feeling from all that has been said this offseason that every player will have to fight for every spot, including and perhaps most especially the most glamorous spot on the roster.

So that's my uneducated guess. Who do you believe will start the season at quarterback for the University of Georgia?

Poll

The bloody battle to start against against the Louisiana-LaFayette Ragin' Cajuns. Who you got?

Logan Gray

16 votes

Aaron Murray

260 votes

Zach Mettenberger

23 votes

Hutson Mason

7 votes

Kristen Davis

27 votes

Quincy Carter

34 votes

367 votes | Poll has closed

Diamond Dogs Recap: Alabama Crimson Tide 13, Georgia Bulldogs 2

2010-03-04T05:15:12Z

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Georgia Bulldogs	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	6	5
Alabama Crimson Tide	2	0	2	4	2	0	3	0	X	13	14	0

The Diamond Dogs took the field in Hoover, Ala., for an unusual midweek contest against the Crimson Tide in a game that would not count in the conference standings. Personally, I’d be all right with not counting the darned thing at all, because Alabama completely outclassed Georgia in a disastrous outing for the Red and Black.

Despite the ultimate result, the evening got off to a good start when Johnathan Taylor drew a leadoff walk in the top of the first inning, but Colby May flied out and the Bulldog baserunner was caught stealing. Peter Verdin was issued a base on balls, as well, and the Georgia right fielder succeeded in his attempt to swipe second, but Chase Davidson went down swinging to strand a teammate in scoring position.

The home state squad fared rather better in the bottom of the canto. Josh Rutledge sent a one-out single into center field and stole second to open up a base for Ross Wilson. The Alabama second baseman walked and consecutive base hits by Clay Jones and Jake Smith plated a pair of runs. A pair of strikeouts followed, but not before the Tide had taken a 2-0 lead.

After neither squad produced a baserunner in the second stanza, Kevin Ruiz began the proceedings in the upper half of the third frame with a leadoff double. The next three Diamond Dogs carded outs. An error allowed Rutledge to reach in the bottom of the inning, and, after the Alabama shortstop stole second, Wilson moved him over to third on a groundout. The inning’s second Georgia error enabled Rutledge to come the rest of the way home.

A two-out single by Brett Booth scored another unearned run and Chris Smelley flied out after a third Red and Black miscue sent a runner to third. The Classic City Canines countered in the top of the fourth canto, commencing with a one-out base hit by Davidson. A balk advanced the Georgia infielder to second and a Zach Cone single moved him over to third before the Bulldog center fielder stole second to put two men in scoring position. Brett DeLoach brought both baserunners home with a two-out double to even the hits at four per side and cut the Crimson Tide lead to 4-2.

An Andrew Miller single, a sacrifice, a passed ball, and a walk put runners at the corners and forced Chase Hawkins from the mound in the home half of the stanza. Ben Cornwell came on and surrendered the sacrifice fly that plated Miller. Following a stolen base and a walk, a Jones single scored one run and a Smith double scored two more. A wild pitch signaled the end of the line for Cornwell and Evan Tieles persuaded Booth to chase strike three to conclude a three-hit, four-run canto.

A two-out walk and a follow-up single were all the Diamond Dogs had to show for the top of the fifth frame, but ‘Bama did not let up in the home half of the inning. Two Tide singles and another Georgia error loaded the bases with no one out, and, after Taylor Dugas grounded into a run-scoring double play, Rutledge brought another man home with a double.

The Athenians recorded two outs before producing two baserunners in the visitors’ half of the sixth stanza and a couple of Alabamians were plunked in the bottom of the inning, but neither team scored. The seventh frame saw two Diamond Dogs in scoring position with only one out, but Georgia could not bring either man home, while the Tide added to their advantage with a one-out single, a two-out single, and a three-run shot in the bottom of the inning.

After no Bulldog reached base in the upper half of the eighth canto, Alabama came back up to bat and loaded the bases with two outs away but could not force additional runs across home plate. The Red and Black’s last gasp in the top of the ninth inning ended with a whimper when Taylor reached first on a wild pitch with one out away and May promptly grounded into a double play.

The Diamond Dogs played their worst game of the season on Wednesday night. The Athenians committed an absurd five errors to place themselves squarely in a territory hitherto occupied by the likes of the Atlanta Braves of the late 1970s. The first six hitters in the Georgia batting order between them went three for nineteen with no RBI and eight strikeouts. The bullpen gave up seven earned runs in fewer than five full frames’ worth of work. Alabama scored multiple runs in five of the first seven stanzas.

No part of the Bulldogs’ effort or execution was anything other than poor and Wednesday night’s contest was utterly lacking in any redeeming feature from which a positive indicator might be gleaned. I know Kyle Farmer’s injury was a meaningful loss, but, for crying out loud, people. The Diamond Dogs need to flush this sorry setback from their collective memory banks in a great big hurry, because they have a three-game road series against Florida State beginning on Friday. This team needs to turn around quickly.

Go ‘Dawgs!

Instantaneous Ill-Informed Roundball Wrapup: Kentucky Wildcats 80, Georgia Bulldogs 68

2010-03-04T03:22:15Z

The Kentucky Wildcats are talented and deep, played a complete game in Athens on Wednesday night, and are supported by fans who care a great deal about basketball. The Georgia Bulldogs lack talent and depth, played a solid first half (down 40-36 at the break after it appeared early as though the Fox Hounds would be run out of their own building), and, judging by the amount of red in the stands at Stegeman Coliseum in the middle of a week in which the Peach State once again experienced snowfall, are supported by fans who are starting to care an appreciable amount about basketball. We don't yet have our Ashley Judd, but we're working on it.

How the Hoop Dogs were outscored only 40-32 after intermission, I'll never know, because the Red and Black turned the ball over fifteen times, had fourteen of their shots blocked (while blocking exactly none of the visitors'), and notched half as many steals as their opponent did. Georgia out-rebounded Kentucky, but 40 per cent shooting from the field doomed the Bulldogs, despite Jeremy Price's 20-minute, 19-point performance.

Georgia lost to a better team and we had better hope that the Hoop Dogs' road woes do not continue this weekend, or else the Red and Black will lose to a worse team on Saturday. This has been a season of hope, though not of results, for Mark Fox's program. This team will not turn the proverbial corner this year, but these Dogs will have their day.

Right now, that may sound a little crazy . . . crazy like a Fox. Georgia basketball will head into the autumn of 2010 as a sleeping giant bursting with untapped potential, in much the way that Florida football headed into the autumn of 1990. Here's hoping the hardwood Bulldogs' next 20 years go approximately as well as the gridiron Gators' last 20 years have.

Go 'Dawgs!

Kentucky Wildcats at Georgia Bulldogs Basketball Game Night Open Comment Thread

2010-03-03T23:30:17Z

There's a lot at stake in this evening's roundball outing. It's the Hoop Dogs' final home game of the year in a season in which Georgia has not lost to an SEC East opponent in Stegeman Coliseum. At 13-14, the Fox Hounds need this win if they are to have any shot at finishing the season with a winning record. Consecutive contests in the Classic City give the Bulldogs their best chance of notching two conference wins in a row. Finally, there needs to be payback for this.

Feel free to join in the fun as the Georgia Bulldogs host the Kentucky Wildcats in a critical contest in Athens. Dive in in the comments below. If we win, does Mark Fox get his face on a bottle of bourbon? Come to think of it, it's only bourbon if you make it in Kentucky, and I'm not sure it's a compliment to put a coach's face on a bottle with the words "sour mash" on it, so maybe we should go with a fine wine, instead. Ah, heck . . . just win, guys.

Go 'Dawgs!

Tuesday Night Dawg Bites

2010-03-03T02:58:00Z

I’ve already told you what is afoot in Bulldog Nation, so I suppose it is time to take a jog around the blogosphere and see what is going on elsewhere in the intercollegiate sports world. Believe it or not, there is plenty to report; viz.:

I go back and forth over whether Fredo Corleone or Benjy Compson is the more accurate analogy for the Southern California head coach. Lane Kiffin’s brother, Chris, is leaving Lincoln to join his family in Los Angeles. How thrilled is he about working for his spectacularly successful sibling? Quoth Coach Kiffin the Youngest:

The No. 1 thing for me was going to work for my father. That’s what made it an easy decision for me. . . . Working for my dad is exciting just because I was raised always following him and watching his career — I just always wanted to work professionally with him because I know he’s really good at what he does.

That’s a ringing endorsement of the head coach right there. Seriously, if Monte disowned Layla’s husband, would Lame Lane be employable as anything other than the night manager at the 7-11 in the bad section of town?

No, he’s not visiting his mistress in Venezuela; in this case, he means it literally, rather than as a euphemism. Over the weekend, regular Dawg Sports reader Richard Schrade left on a seven-month sabbatical to do a through-hike of the Appalachian Trail. At last report, Richard was riding out the storm at Neel’s Gap, where the weather conditions look like this:

There’s a 30 per cent chance of snow in Birmingham and a 100 per cent chance of crazy in Paul Finebaum’s column. Bad weather in Birmingham caused the postponement of Alabama’s baseball game against Samford today, so the Tide should be rested for tomorrow night’s clash with the Diamond Dogs. For some strange reason, even though the game will take place between two SEC teams in Hoover, site of the SEC baseball tournament, the game will not count in the conference standings. That, though, isn’t the most bizarre news item to come out of the Yellowhammer State this week. Take it away, Paul Finebaum:

And who's to say that when the issue of Smart may arise again -- perhaps in a year or two if the Mark Richt tenure comes crashing down in Athens.

Certainly Smart had to think about that when the Georgia offer was made. However, I think his worth to Georgia will likely be higher, with perhaps another national championship at Alabama instead of being part of a sinking ship in Athens. And, of course, if Richt goes down, Smart might be battling his best buddy Muschamp for that one as well. Of course, others believe the job Muschamp really covets is the one in Baton Rouge, where Les Miles' ship appears to be shaky.

Does Finebaum even have an editor? If so, and that’s what made the grade, what wild-eyed baseless speculation wound up on the cutting room floor? Brian Kelly to Texas Tech, Tommy Tuberville to Florida, and Urban Meyer to Notre Dame in a round-robin coach swap, perhaps? Bigfoot replacing Myles Brand as the head of the NCAA, maybe? A sixteen-team Division I-A playoff with leprechaun line judges and unicorn referees? Because that wouldn’t be any wackier.

Meanwhile, back in the vile and wicked blogosphere. . . . Evidently, something was up with Bill Simmons, prompting a pretty big "whatever" from me, but Brian Cook (amazingly) was the measured voice of reason:

The lesson here, of course, is that no matter what you write, people are reading it, so you should probably get your facts straight before you put something out there, whether it be in a column, a blog post, a radio/TV appearance or even an online chat that focuses as much on actual sports as it does on reality television with a target demographic of teenage girls. I think we forget that sometimes.

That may be the finest combination of good manners and a good point in Brian’s blogging career. Good job.

The northeast doesn’t care about football. We who care about football don’t care about the northeast. Can’t we just agree to leave each other alone? Evidently, Rutgers is a serious candidate for Big Ten expansion, and not for the reason any sensible person would have an affinity for the State University of New Jersey. Rather, the desire to develop inroads into the New York television market fuels the league’s interest in the Scarlet Knights. Frankly, the whole thing just annoys me. Northeastern media elites have always carried far too much clout, beginning with the sportswriters in the 1920s and ‘30s who refused to give the Crimson Tide their due until they whipped Washington in the Rose Bowl and failed to recognize the Red and Black until Georgia regularly played (and won) games in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York, and continuing today with Bristol-based ESPN, which cannot get enough of the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry and still counts Doug Flutie’s pass as the watershed moment in college football history while ignoring comparably dramatic moments from that same season. If New Yorkers don’t like college football, fine. The whole point of federalism was to allow Georgians and New Yorkers to set different priorities on matters of taste.

We’re moving on up, just like George and Weezie Jefferson. The Georgia Bulldogs rank eighth in the latest SEC basketball power poll, which attests to the fact that Mark Fox has taken this program to the next level. When you started in the sub-basement, eighth in the league qualifies as "the next level."

Happy birthday to several of you. I may have forgotten Mark Richt’s birthday, but I’m not overlooking any of this week’s anniversaries. Today was Dr. Seuss’s birthday; Theodor Seuss Geisel was born on this date in 1904. (Incidentally, he published How the Grinch Stole Christmas in 1957, and, in that book, he has the Grinch grouse that he’s put up with Christmas for 53 years. Do the math.) Tomorrow, of course, is Herschel Walker’s birthday, which isn’t why I’ll be away from the office all day, but it’s reason enough. Finally, my daughter, Elizabeth, turns two on Friday. I’m pretty sure the "terrible twos" are going to be when we regret consistently referring to her as "The Princess."

You now may consider yourself fully informed. You probably aren’t, of course, but you’re not entirely without a basis for believing that you are, which is something.

Go ‘Dawgs!

Bulldog Squads Rake in Team Rankings, Individual Honors

2010-03-02T01:24:22Z

Following last weekend's series sweep over the Stetson Hatters, David Perno's Diamond Dogs climbed back into the Baseball America rankings today, earning the nod as the No. 25 team in NCAA Division I. Also among the top teams in the land are No. 2 Louisiana State, No. 4 Georgia Tech, No. 5 Florida, No. 13 Clemson, No. 15 South Carolina, No. 17 Arkansas, No. 21 Ole Miss, and No. 23 Kentucky.

Jay Clark's Gym Dogs likewise staked out a position among the country's best performers, nailing down a No. 5 ranking in the wake of last Friday night's triumph. Alabama and Florida are ranked first and fourth, respectively. Other Bulldog squads are producing individual honorees, as well. Andy Landers's Lady Dogs feature SEC freshman of the week Jasmine James and the Georgia softball team boasts of two-time SEC pitcher of the week Erin Arevalo.

In other words, there's no football (yet), but sports aplenty are afoot in Bulldog Nation, even apart from Mark Fox's Hoop Dogs and the hope they intermittently induce in us.

Go 'Dawgs!

Missed It By That Much!

2010-03-01T01:07:40Z

Missed It By That Much!

Throughout Bulldog Nation, the name Ryan Miller is being spoken with disdain the way the name Bill Buckner is spoken by Boston Red Sox fans. Yeah, he was sure-handed and reliable, but we will never forget the image of his giving up the shot that cost his team the title.

I'll be honest with you: I couldn't care less about the Olympics generally, and hockey isn't my sport. When I first heard about this afternoon's outcome, I could have sworn they said Cindy Crawford had scored the winning goal, which would have been something to see.

However, there is no question that the loss of the Olympic gold medal was felt more deeply in the Peach State than anywhere else in the United States. We remember the "Miracle on Ice" of 30 years ago, and we who are superstitious sports fans understand what a win today would have meant not only for the Red, White, and Blue, but also for the Red and Black.

The United States won an Olympic hockey gold medal in 1980. The Georgia Bulldogs won the national championship in college football the following fall.

If Miller had stopped that shot, the crystal football would have been Athens-bound. When the game went to overtime, Manic Kyle briefly began preparing to book a hotel room for next year's national championship game. When the Canadians won, the Georgians lost and Depressive Kyle went back on duty.

Sigh.

Go 'Dawgs!

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Missed It By That Much!