This past weekend was the typical big game Saturday, and the message boards didn’t disappoint with the quality of genius shown. We’ll drop in on the Classic City this week, but let’s start our trip in Charlottesville for the crash and burn of Florida State at the hands of UVA in a classic trap game spot.
Short weeks suck, but that’s the bed you made when you signed the ACC grant of rights, Seminoles. Virginia matched FSU’s physicality and made the Noles play for 60+ minutes. As a top team in your conference, coaches have to have their team ready every week in conference play to get a less talented roster’s best shot. You look at the stat sheet, and everything should have pointed to an FSU victory. Let’s move on to College Station and check the temperature of the Auburn family.
It ain’t pretty in Greater Phenix City/Opelika. Auburn doesn’t even generate 200 yards of offense but loses by 6. 2 missed field goals by A&M in the middle 8 kept the game in reach. Then a tipped interception leading to a 2-yard scoring drive made the game interesting. Texas A&M outplayed Auburn on offense & defense. Someone is going to expose the Aggies soon as just flat lucky.
I said before the season that Auburn would have at least 2 losses before the Dawgs show up in Auburn in 2 weeks. That’s exactly where they are. If the Dawgs come in and take care of business, Freeze is likely going to be out by season’s end.
Lather, rinse and repeat, Barn. Please stay in the cycle for as long as possible.
James Franklin loses to a top flight opponent again. This time Dan Lanning and the Ducks take their lunch money. Is Drew Allar just the Yankee version of Cade Klubnik?
Penn State loses another whiteout game where they pour every in one game a year. I enjoy watching that fan base wallow in misery after coming to the defense of Joe Paterno in the aftermath of the Sandusky scandal.
Penn State has at least 1 more loss coming and, with no Power 4 out of conference games, may miss the playoff. Let’s move on down to Oxford to check in on the Carpetbagging Leprechaun after the Magnolia Bowl.
The Corn Dogs are never going to be happy with Brian Kelly because he isn’t one of them. The Fightin’ Tigers have been living off the opening weekend win over Clemson, and now that they lost to Kiffin and the Rebels, the Cajuns realize again they can’t stand Kelly. LSU could only score 19 against a defense that gave up 35 to Arkansas and 23 to Kentucky … not exactly offensive juggernauts.
Given the remaining schedule, I can see the Tigers finishing the regular season unranked and wondering how Kelly wasted this defense with an offense that is pretty abysmal.
Throwing a bunch of money at Blake Baker to replace Schumann in the offseason wouldn’t be the dumbest move Kirby could make to get the defense back to the Smart/Lanning standard. Let’s head up to Champagne Champaign (sorry and thanks, Illini84) to check in on the Boy Wonder and USC after their tilt with the Fighting Illini.
USC gives up 34 points to an Illinois team that scored 10 last week while being curb-stomped by Indiana by 53. When a quarterback coached by Bret Bielema outplays a quarterback coached by Lincoln Riley, you know it can’t be good. The Men of Troy are bad on defense again and now have a home date with Michigan and a visit to South Bend on the schedule next.
I assume there’s enough money in the Hollywood elite to buy out Riley’s contract if things go off the rails.
At least they still have the Song Girls.
We finish this week’s trip in the Classic City after the Dawgs find another way to lose to Alabama.
No offense, but this post could be any number of commenters here at GTPR after a 3-point loss to Alabama. A 3-point loss, people. I know it’s Alabama again. If Kirby is the best coach in the sport, I don’t imagine he’s going to stand pat and give out paychecks to coaches he doesn’t believe are cutting it just because they are his “buddies” or friends with those same buddies. This argument is just as genius as the argument in 2018 that Kirby played Jake Fromm over Justin Fields because Jake liked to hunt and fish.
We knew this team was young, and they showed that for much of the first half on Saturday night. They also punched Bama right back in the mouth with a punishing, effective running game and a shutout in the 2nd half. One drop from one of those young players made all the difference. Bama recovered from their drop to score on the first drive. We didn’t, we turned the ball over inside our own 15, we gave up a terrible middle 8 touchdown, and we gave up points when we had the chance to tie the game. Surprise, surprise … all of that will get you beat.
To the fans especially the students that showed up and showed out on Saturday night, that’s what a home field advantage looks like. I have no idea if Kirby recognized the fire, passion & energy the crowd brought in any press conference since Saturday night. I hope he did and than told his team privately that everyone in the program let that crowd down with the way they coached and played on Saturday night.
That’s what I saw this past weekend. Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Basically, don’t overreact to Kirby losing 7 of 8 to Bama, giving up the most third downs in Athens in 30 years, and bringing back the Richt coaching staff that underachieves for a living. Maybe you’re right. This isn’t as bad as growing up in North Florida in the 90s. Nightmares!!
Did I say that? No.
How would you be feeling if the 2 games with the same margin were flipped? Good? Bad? The same?
I hate that we lost and that we lost to Alabama. I also know Kirby isn’t going to change anything right now. I’m going to save my judgment when I see the full body of work of a team that is talented but young.
YMMV.
And don’t forget we came out looking unprepared and slow. This is a trend that’s been going on for a couple of seasons. Not just one game. That’s on the coaches. Especially when you have two weeks to prepare. Get your guys firing on all cylinders right away. Don’t wait until the second half to punch your opponent in the mouth.
That is a totally fair criticism of the staff and the team’s leaders from Kirby on down. I also believe it’s something Kirby has to figure out. It started with the South Carolina game in 2023.
Yes, I believe the players who are now paid professionals have some responsibility for this, too.
Platitudes win football games, not football players.
I say you score when you have the ball and stop them from scoring when they have it. That’s all coaching is right there. That’s like the entire job description!
How fast of a start would we have had if 4 catches that pick 3+ minutes into the first quarter?
Well we’ll never know, because coaching.
Fuckin bobo!!
You never have anything original to offer.
Always only with the snide remark to someone else’s thought.
Your negativity and dismissiveness towards other commenters is not additive to this board.
Keep telling us you have a better football mind than the hc. Its compelling….really.
Derek,
Should I be concerned I find myself often agreeing with you. That is when we are discussing Georgia football. 😉
EE , I remember the same arguments on GTP about how Willy Martinez would not be the DC if Richt did not have faith in his abilities..and how it had nothing to do with his personal relationship with the man…yada yada. Unfortunately personal relationships can influence even the best coaches. I do not think Kirby is too far gone yet though. Too much Saban in him. I expect he will make changes unless we see several negative trends reverse.
Richt and Smart are two very different people. I’m not saying that to open old wounds. Two Thumbs needed to be gone after 2008. He was gone in 2009.
If Kirby decides to make a change … Kirby and Mike will still be friends. Kirby and Schumann will still be mentor/mentee. I’m guessing Schu is going to find a head coaching job at a G5 program this offseason. Mike could easily say, “I’ve had enough of the grind and do a Muschamp.”
Be careful about Bobo. You can argue Curtis is coming because of him.
In the current climate of NIL, late decommittments, and sudden transfers, I am skeptical that Kirby, or any head coach for that matter, would allow a recruit to determine whether or not to keep a coordinator on board.
That is a totally fair comment.
Totally agree with you ee regarding Mike Bobo.
Look at the Baltimore Ravens fans they are calling for Todd Monken’s head. Saying he sucks and needs to be fired now.
And where’s “Schitty” now?
Selling insurance I imagine.
Where’s James Coley cashing checks now
Coley is one of those “where are they now?” coaches.
Total mystery. Could be in Timbuktu.
Might be right under our noses.
That’s the Derek I know. Never miss an opportunity. 😉
Cashing Jerry Jones’s checks as HC of the Cowboys and stuck with Dak Prescott at QB with no defense. Guy loves punishment I guess.
And Richt fired Willie…and tried to get Kirby and almost did. As a result, we didn’t get much better on that side of the ball over the course of time. Meanwhile, Kirby’s buddy Bobo had some offenses that set some pretty impressive statistical records.
But Derek, don’t you know that setting the school record for offense with Mason Hutson as QB doesn’t mean anything because we didn’t win the natty? In fact, we’ve only had four seasons that meant anything in 133 years of Georgia football. (Personally, I’d add 1946, being the only top undefeated team, but then I’m a softy.) If you ain’t first, you’re last! Woo!
Russ,
Excellent post as usual. However 1946 doesn’t count because I wasn’t there to enjoy it.
Post of the day!
“…tried to get Kirby and almost did” Um, Richt DID hire Kirby – as a RB coach. Some guy named Saban hired him away to be his DC and the rest is history.
He tried to hire him back in 2010. CMR wanted him on staff in 2005.
I meant as DC. Not the single year as a RB coach.
Let’s keep underperforming coaches because we had a really low bar in the past. Ignore all the money and resources we’ve poured into the program. It’s so entitled for you fans in 2025 to expect results commensurate with pay and dedication we’ve all given to the program.
Really, the only bar should be how many meaningless statistical records we set against weak schedules. Really. If you think about it.
You didn’t want it enough Saturday night.
The results speak for themselves.
Hard to imagine Kirby ever hiring a DC to bring his own defense in. Our defense will be a Kirby Smart/Nick Saban defense IMHO, as long as he is here. They are going to do what they do and I don’t see any wholesale changes, ever. And, btw, it works ok.
The few really good qb/wr combos you’ll see will frustrate, but you don’t lose to mediocre qbs unless you just can’t score. And most college qbs are mediocre.
If Blake Baker wants to learn defense from Kirby and then go get a hc job, maybe.
On the other side of the ball, as long as you’re committed to being a physical offense, I don’t think he is as picky.
“If Blake Baker wants to learn defense from Kirby and then go get a hc job, maybe.”
That would be the recipe … just like Lanning. Dan brought more attacking and havoc (some of the havoc was the result of the players as much as the scheme) than we had been used to seeing. I would hope that’s what we would get with someone like Baker if Kirby and/or Schu decided it was time to part ways.
We have a lot of the same schemes Baker has used at his other stops. The question is as much about style as it is about scheme.
“Kirby Smart/Nick Saban defense”. Nope.
Nick Saban was constantly willing to revisit, revise, and grow his strategies. That’s not CKS’ DNA.
We’ve already seen how CKS has to hit a wall, firmly, to accept any change (2020 proving manball offense was outdated, years after Saban evolved).
If not “change”, what even is “Nick Saban’s defense”?
And please tell me it’s a big NT, dominate 3-down linemen, hybrid LB/DE’s free-roaming, LB’s that can cover in space, physical corners that can play on an island, downhill safeties that never miss a tackle, and speed all over the field.
That defense is called a $20mm payroll + discipline. We don’t have that.
What we need is someone who can be a leader of men, whose message of maturity, responsibility, accountability, intensity, domination, and heart resonates with entitled top-skill players today, in a scheme that’s attuned to the opponents strengths and weaknesses on a week-to-week basis, but that’s not overly complex or “exotic” such that they’re overthinking vs. playing on instinct and sound fundamentals, and can make adjustments in-game.
Schumann’s not that guy. Lanning is that guy. Muschamp is that guy. Many coordinators across the country today with better “stats” and lesser stars (if we’re being approximate) could be that guy. CKS *may* be that guy, but he’s a program GM now, not a coordinator.
Catch up to the times.
That’s why Deshaun Watson got him for 600 yards…twice.
Thats why Gibson, Brown and Greene lit his ass up In Sanford.
That’s why Mike Evans got 7 catches for 278 vs them in year 2.
That’s why Trevor ran them as a freshman.
Thats why he shut Burrow and co. down!!
Not a guy who is going to lose to Gus Bus or Hugh Freeze multiple times!!
He beat Michigan in a semi whereas Kirby didn’t!!!
Why?
Always tweaking!
It’s not debatable the current defense is nowhere near the standard set in the early 2020’s.
My question is the talent on this team anywhere near those elite defenses?
We probably agree on the answer being no. If not I respect your opinion and appreciate your take.
If we agree on the talent level. Do you believe it’s all coaching, recruiting or a combination?
I see a younger less talented team. I don’t see any older Alpha type leadership role models or game wreckers on defense. Those great defenses had those guys. I think there is a lot less depth due to NIL. Kids that would be backups in 2021 are now starting.
That the coaching staff has been able to get the defensive players production to drastically improve in the second half of most games. Well on the one had it’s great adjustments. More probably to your point WTF are we doing In seemingly most every big game in the first half. Other than Texas we are digging a hole in the first quarter.
As the Senator liked to say stop digging is the first rule of holes.
Long way to ask is it just coaching only?
The defensive line issues are at the forefront of all of this. Scott & Uzo-Diribe (sp?) seem to get a pass anytime talent/development are discussed.
TS has built up a lot of goodwill from 2021-2. That’s starting to run out. U-D? I’m not sure what he has done.
My point and just my opinion. It’s talent over coaching. I don’t mean that as an excuse for getting out coached again in the first half again. That the coaches made shut down adjustments at halftime shows there’s enough talent including coaching ability. It’s just infuriating it takes getting your ass kicked before we sort it out at halftime.
I remember Kirby mocking Dan Mullen about recruiting. He said the best coaching in the world won’t overcome a talent disadvantage. Once upon a time we had a decided talent advantage on defense. NIL has taken that away. So it’s fair to say coaching matters now more than ever. We’ve lost some darn good D coaches too. Either recruit more game wreckers or do a better job coaching up those players we have.
Go Illini!!
This is a general observation not directed at EE…If your wife is a supermodel but you point out you don’t like a certain dress I don’t believe the proper reaction is to review the entire history of your relationship and threaten divorce.
Kirby is not perfect and his decisions are not all above commentary questioning them. This is a forum established to do exactly that or GTPR should be renamed “Kiss Kirby ‘s Ass”.
One team had better coaching and execution Saturday. It wasn’t us. If both had been better we would have won. We’ll need better for our upcoming schedule and I believe wholeheartedly we will.
No doubt … but those who are flying off the handle to state that it’s over and Kirby is now Dabo/Richt 2.0 just don’t know what they are talking about (not saying that about you, FPD).
I was questioning decisions on this forum from my seat and on the long walk through north campus on Saturday night.
FPD.
I totally agree bama was better prepared and outperformed our guys. That’s coaching and we got out coached. Talent level was equal. The second half adjustments too late proved your point.
Your takes have always been some of the best here. Too bad we no longer can see who likes our posts.
I just remember the preKirby Smart years really well. I know you do too. Kirby deserves blame after Saturday. My guess he’d agree with you.
It’s certainly ok here to criticize Kirby and his staff. There are some not you that demand fire somebody after every loss. That gets old we will never win every week.
Keep up the great posts you’re a very valued commenter here. We’re all frustrated and sick and F’ing tired of losing to bama.
Thanks Scuba…back at you!
Champaign.
Sorry … corrected 😉
Saw a stat about some coaches winning percentages against top 10 ranked teams. De Bore is at about 70%, Kirby is just under 60% (just one win in the last 2 years would probably flip that ) and Franklin is at 11.5%!