Dawn of the Dawg
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Georgia Football: How other coaches fared in their second year at Georgia

By Kyle Funderburk

Sep 10, 2016; Athens, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart walks through the Dawgwalk prior to the game against the Nicholls State Colonels at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 10, 2016; Athens, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart walks through the Dawgwalk prior to the game against the Nicholls State Colonels at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 10, 2016; Fort Collins, CO, USA; Colorado State Rams coach Mike Bobo watches the game against the UTSA Roadrunners at Hughes Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Austin Humphreys/The Coloradoan via USA TODAY Sports
Sep 10, 2016; Fort Collins, CO, USA; Colorado State Rams coach Mike Bobo watches the game against the UTSA Roadrunners at Hughes Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Austin Humphreys/The Coloradoan via USA TODAY Sports /

1997: Jim Donnan, 10-2

Much like Mark Richt, Jim Donnan was hired to fix a program that was going in the wrong direction. After Georgia went 10-2 in 1992, they fell to 5-6 in 1993, 6-4-1 in 1994, and 6-6 in 1995. In Donnan’s first year, Georgia went 5-6.

But fortunes changed in 1997 when senior Mike Bobo led an offense featuring Robert Edwards at tailback and Hines Ward, Corey Allen and Champ Bailey at wide receiver. Bailey also led a great group of defensive backs featuring his older brother Ronald and current Georgia football head coach Kirby Smart.

The Bulldogs doubled their win total from the previous year by finishing 10-2 and 6-2 in the SEC and upset Florida who was the defending National Champions.

If Georgia hadn’t lost to Tennessee, they would have played Auburn in a rematch for the SEC Championship, which would have been Georgia’s first trip to the SEC Championship Game.

But the Bulldogs settled for a trip to Tampa to play future Heisman Winner Ron Dayne and the Wisconsin Badgers. Ward even got to play quarterback for a few plays that day as Georgia rocked the badgers 33-6 and held Dayne to under 40 rushing yards.

Unfortunately the turnaround didn’t last. Donnan never had another 10-win season in Athens. He was fired after the 2000 season.

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