SEC Media Days are in full swing, and it’s almost like everyone forgot that Georgia football is the reigning national champion. Or maybe they remember and just aren’t able to bring the nameless to accept that new reality.
Whatever the reason, “talking season,” as they call it, is in full effect, and the short-term memory loss struggle with the SEC analysts is real.
From Jordan Rogers once again criticizing Stetson Bennett to Tim Tebow putting Bennett third to last in his SEC quarterback ranking and saying the Dawgs don’t deserve to be No. 2 in the SEC — the disrespect is going strong, and it’s only Day 2.
I’ve come to expect the Bennett hate. But the guy just helped Georgia win their first national championship in 41 years. Are we really going down this road again? There are other quarterbacks in the SEC with less impressive resumes and stat sheets who aren’t getting questioned as he does.
Georgia football may be reigning national champs, but you wouldn’t know they are at SEC Media Days.
And now, in the latest hourly update of “I forgot Georgia isn’t Going Anywhere,” Takeo Spikes, formerly of Auburn, says that he has South Carolina “upsetting Georgia at home in Columbia.”
Saturday Down South’s Connor O’Gara holds a similar opinion, stating that Tennessee will also beat the Dawgs this year.
I’m sorry, did Brock Bowers evaporate? Did Nolan Smith quit the team, and I missed it? Did Kelee Ringo and Adonai Mitchell graduate?
Did Thanos show up in Athens and snap away half the team? Because, to be honest, that’s the only way I see South Carolina or Tennessee beating us this year.
I like Shane Beamer, and I think their program is heading in a positive direction, especially by picking up Spencer Rattler.
Tennessee is on the rise too and that offense can be dangerous. But at this moment in time, the talent gap is just too big. Even if Georgia starts slow that game, they should still pull away because they’re simply too talented at every position.
But I think everyone, or at least the talking heads in Atlanta, seems to have forgotten that. So let’s have a quick refresher, okay?
Georgia had 15 players taken in this year’s draft, nine of which were defense —this is the exact moment at which the analysts have stopped reading. That elite defense isn’t going anywhere.
Now, it obviously won’t be that historic, record-breaking, can-you-even-cross-midfield defense that we had last year. But the projected starters are not to be messed with.
They have a ton of meaningful snaps between them and took the records, shutouts, and final scores last year just as seriously as the first team did. They still have that Junkyard Dawg mentality, and there’s plenty of talent to go around.
Ironically, some of the talking heads have been saying that Jalen Carter will be even better than Jordan Davis. Let’s not forget Smith, Robert Beal, Chris Smith, and of course, Ringo, who all made significant plays in the national championship win against Alabama.
And that offense? Wow. Not only is almost everyone returning, but we’re actually gaining players who missed multiple games or the entire season last year.
Arik Gilbert, Arian Smith, and Tate Ratledge ring a bell? Offensive coordinator Todd Monken also took a walk-on quarterback and helped him achieve the third highest quarterback rating in the nation, only behind C.J. Stroud and Bryce Young, even with a rotating roster of multiple skill players due to injuries.
The Mailman was missing his two best receivers all year. That offense was explosive last year, and it’s not going anywhere this year.
So does that mean the Dawgs will be perfect? Of course not. But it definitely means that they aren’t going to LSU this season. And while it might be talking season, words matter. So don’t say anything you might regret later. Bulldogs are known for holding a grudge.