G-Day Winners (and Losers)
IT'S FINALLY HERE, Y'ALL!! Today is the shining beacon of happiness among the pollen-filled misery of Spring when we finally get some college football action! We rode the wave of excitement from National Signing Day and all the coaching changes right into Spring practice, and today is the day when we get to see how things are starting to shape up with the "new"team. Granted, this game means absolutely nothing, as SO much will change between now and the first game of the year. In case you forgot, this guy hasn't even made it to Athens yet:
Until then, we get to watch the team without the graduating players and draft hopefuls, and we also get a first look at early enrollees. I tried to take notes during the game, but I'm too ADD for that, so I ended up just watching and enjoying the spectacle. Here are my brief thoughts:
*RED TEAM- 1st team offense, 2nd team defense
*BLACK TEAM- 2nd team offense, 1st team defense
Winners:
Rush defense
Even though both teams put a decent number of points on the board, neither the first nor second string defense made it easy. Especially when it came to the run. It wasn't until late in the game that a long run was allowed by either unit. (Keep in mind, Chubb saw very limited playing time.) The front line on both sides (Black team: Dawson, Atkins, Bailey; Red team: Deloach/Ledbetter, Mayes, Ledbetter/Brown) did a great job at holding the line of scrimmage. Here is a picture of them in action:
Early Enrollees/Transfers
The Red Team defense was stacked with early enrollees, including guys like Jonathan Ledbetter, Chuks Amaechi, Natrez Patrick, and Jarvis Wilson, and their names got called A LOT. Patrick had eight tackles and a sack, leading the Red Team. Ledbetter had seven tackles. Wilson had four tackles and an interception he returned for 53 yards. Amaechi had two tackles. Another notable player was UAB transfer Jake Ganus. He's been turning heads on defense all Spring, and today he continued to make his presence known with four tackles and a tackle for a loss.
Black Team OLBs
Jordan Jenkins and Lorenzo Carter continued to be almost impossible to contain, giving the QBs grief all day (especially Bauta). QBs can't be tackled during Spring games, but there were a couple of times that Carter came into the backfield with so much speed that he couldn't help but slam into Bauta and nearly knock him over. Neither Carter nor Jenkins is all that small, so combine that with their speed and you've got a scary combination for offenses across America. They combined for 4.5 tackles for a loss today.
A.J. Turman
A.J. Turman missed all of last season with a foot injury, so today was our first chance to get a look at him. With Chubb getting limited carries and Marshall and Michel out with injuries, Turman saw pretty much all the action for the Black Team offense. (Douglas was his normal, dependable self on the Red Team). Turman is a strong runner as many times today he dragged the pile forward for extra yardage, and he even showed his speed on a long TD run in the third quarter. He took quite a beating from the Red Team defense, but he never showed signs of fatigue. It's crazy to think that such a talented runner will start the year likely at 4th string. That just goes to show that no matter how deep we go into our RB corp, defenses need to beware.
Jordan Davis
Jordan Davis caught so many catches from Bauta on the Black Team, that I am confident he could play WR if need be. The TE showed great route running ability, good hands, and had many yards after catch. He finished the day with 74 yards and a TD.
All Three QBs
Everyone knows there's a major QB battle going on at UGA right now. Recently, reports indicated that Ramsey and Bauta pulled away from Park for the lead. However, based on what I saw today, I don't envy Coach Schotty and Mark Richt's decision. Any of the three would EASILY be an upgrade from last year. During warm-ups, Park seemed to have a slightly weaker arm, but in the game there didn't seem to be as much of a difference. Ramsey started the game on first team offense, but worked with the second team, as well. Bauta started the game on second string offense, but quickly switched to first string and alternated throughout the rest of the game. Park played only with second string offense. Take from that what you will. Ramsey didn't attempt as many passes today as the others, but completed two long passes during the game. He threw a BEAUTY to Reggie Davis for 60 yards that was perfectly placed out in front of him; Davis didn't have to slow down, stutter, or even turn around to make the catch. He also had a 73 yard TD to Isaiah McKenzie on a well-timed and perfectly thrown slant. Ramsey did also have one REALLY bad pass that was very underthrown. It should have been an interception but was dropped by the defender. Bauta, on the other hand, attempted many more passes (25 total), but didn't have as many long attempts. He ruled at the back shoulder pass, though. Kid definitely has that skill down. He should have helped Mason out with it last year. Bauta's go-to play, it seemed, was to dump the ball off short to a receiver up the middle. Bauta also seemed to be pressured more than Ramsey or Park, but it didn't seem to negatively affect his game. He seemed to stay calm and was able to complete passes under pressure. He also was able to scamper away from defenders and avoid being sacked a few times. Bauta completed his first six passes, led the team down to score, and was quickly switched to first team offense. Park looked strong, as well, completing 10 of 15 passes with excellent timing. He also had one interception. Overall, all three have areas they could improve and need more experience to do so, but I think we'd be successful with any of them playing. Personally, I like Bauta, but I think all three of them could lead to wins.
ME
I was a winner because I got M&Ms for a dollar during the fourth quarter, thanks to the guy dressed like a giant peanut winning halftime Redlight Greenlight.
Needs Improvement:
Centers on shotgun snaps
Early in the game, one of the centers (I think it was Wynn) snapped the ball wayyyy over Ramsey's head for a big loss. The rest of the game, centers had a lot of low snaps.
Kicking Team
Kickers weren't on their game today. There were lots of very short punts. Marshall Morgan also missed a 42 yard FG attempt.
JSW
Back from last year's knee injury, Justin Scott Wesley seems to be healthy and in good physical condition. However, he made some questionable decisions and didn't seem to be as confident in himself as before. At one point he completely stopped in the middle of his route to look for the ball and then couldn't catch back up to it in time to make the grab. He needs some time to regain that confidence in himself and get back in the game mentally. He will be an asset to the offense once he finds his groove again.
Guy dressed as a peach from the halftime Redlight Greenlight game
He totally cheated and I'm glad he lost.
For complete stats from today's game, see https://uga.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1756209
Miscellaneous Thoughts:
- Katy Perry's Super Bowl halftime show shark made an appearance today in halftime Redlight Greenlight
- It was great to see former Dawgs Conley, Gurley, Andrews, all three Bailey brothers, and others still supporting the team and signing autographs for fans.
- Schottenheimer called plays for both offenses today.
- We sat right behind all the visiting recruits and their families, and from what I hear, there were some definite VIPs in that group. They took up basically a whole section.
- After the game, Todd Gurley himself walked down the street 50 feet away from me!!!! I fangirled.
- 144 days until college football is back. Will you be ready?
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