It’s Time for Georgia Football to Open New Era of Swagger vs. Louisville
By Beau Bock
The Georgia football program has a chance to woodshed Louisville in the upcoming Belk Bowl. So, where’s the feeling?
I’m not feeling it; are you feelin’ it? Maybe this is what’s called the calm before the storm, or maybe it’s just the precursor to what that derelict New York microphone jockey was referring to when he said, “Mark Richt never wins a big game”, and this is a big game.
I can just picture those two Louisville hooligans, Petrino and Grantham, game planning and lickin’ their chops knowing there’s an opportunity to fatten their resume’, while we’re over here lamenting Bobo’s defection and ignoring the rump-kickin’ that those bees put on us exactly one month ago.
I find it totally regrettable, and am confounded by the fact that we blew the Tech game and nobody has asked, “what happened?”. We’ve got Georgia Tech people gloating over the victory while the game was forfeited by disinterest. I don’t know what else to call it when Jeremy Pruitt performed a Grantham impersonation by not knowing, nor caring to find out, the fundamental rule to stopping a triple-option attack.
We had to stuff the dive play, and didn’t know that.
Tech opened the second half by running eight dives in succession for gains of 11, 4, 5, 6, 20, 15, 2 and 1 yard. If you recall, it was that last 1 yard carry in which we stole the ball and galloped 99 yards for the touchdown putting us up 14-7. But, the die had been cast, Tech knew we were turnip-brains in terms of stopping ‘em, and the rest is history.
I think it’s important to whip Louisville. Not just win. Whip ’em. Let’s get out of this cruise control mode we routinely seem to slip into. We’re better than Louisville, gosh darn it, we’re better in every facet. We’re bigger, stronger, faster and tougher, and Louisville is where Georgia’s discards (Petrino & Grantham, not to mention a few unnameable players) go to wallow in each other’s nonsense!
Nov 29, 2014; Athens, GA, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets defensive back Domonique Noble (23) celebrates with a piece of the Sanford Stadium hedges after defeating the Georgia Bulldogs in overtime at Sanford Stadium. Georgia Tech defeated Georgia 30-24. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Let’s not be easily disoriented from who we are, the way we did against Florida and Tech. Remember, it was the kicking game that destroyed our purpose and concentration against both institutions (I use that term loosely in regard to Florida). In both games we came out smokin’, before a fake Florida field goal tied the score at 7 and completely unraveled us.
There were only 13 ticks remaining in the Tech game when quarterback Justin Thomas scrambled from his own 41, leading to an overtime inducing 53-yard field goal with 4 seconds remaining.
In overtime Tech scored first and had the extra point blocked by Ray Drew. The kicking game gave us something back, but a Hutson Mason interception abruptly ended the game and Yellow Jackets were seen leaving Sanford with sacred hedges between their teeth (OH, the indignity..!)
The Belk Bowl represents the first game of the transition period from Bobo to whoever is next. Let’s be big time; let’s put something on Louisville that the nation won’t soon forget. Isn’t it time to stop flirting with dominance and use Coach Bobo’s exit to signal a new era of Bulldawg football?
We have all this talent but a questionable attitude. Let’s strut, let’s not be just a good football team; can we please be scary, can we be the team that nobody looks forward to playing? It’s time to go to another level, it’s time to take Louisville out of the Belk Bowl bargain basement and show ‘em what it’s like to shop at Bergdorf!
We’re Georgia football, dammit…Let’s start acting like it…!!!