1. Georgia lost 5 (6?) 1st round picks last year on defense and a total of I don't know how many total draftees to the NFL and they go 15-0 with a 65-7 win in the championship game. Guessing they didn't miss much of the talent that left for the NFL, huh? Barring a once-in-a-blue-moon type of game, we're not beating them anytime soon, nor is anyone else not named Bama, OSU, LSU, (maybe) TN, (maybe if they give scholarships to defensive players) SoCal, perhaps 2-3 others. The rich definitely get richer in CFB.
2. How would Levis have fared with the time to throw to a really good, deep corps of WRs and 2 all-world TEs behind that UGa line? Bennett is much better than I ever gave him credit for and his football IQ is >>>Levis', but he had a LOT of time to scan the field and find the right guy to throw to. Quick decision maker, quick feet, buys time in the pocket, pretty decent arm and all those weapons and all that time to find them - pretty devastating combination.
3. Brock Bowers is one of the best CFB players I've ever seen. He could start for almost all NFL teams today (Chiefs - Kelce, 49ers - Kittle are the only 2 I can name off the top of my head who have a better TE). Big? Yes. Strong, good blocker? Yes. Runs good routes? Yes. Fast? Hell, yes. Good hands? Yes. He's so much better than any defender I've seen try to check that guy. When he gets to the NFL, if his OC doesn't target him 7 times/game, he ought to be fired immediately. While he's not a QB, I think you can make a pretty good argument that he's the best CFB player in the country. Huge mismatch against every other team Georgia plays.
4. The 12-team playoff will not increase my interest in CFB, which is, admittedly, starting to wane. Anyone think #12, whoever it happens to be, would give Georgia or OSU a competitive game? While I highly doubt we'll see another 65-7 public execution, it wouldn't surprise me to see many 1st round games being 3+ TD wipeouts. In today's CFB world with NIL and transfers, there is only going to be about 6 teams each year with a legitimate shot at the NC. The best 2 or 3 from the SEC. The best 2 from the B10. Every so often an ACC team. Every so often a Pac12 and/or Notre Dame team. That's it. B12? Nope, now that OU and TX are leaving. TCU was a nice story and I truthfully thought they'd keep it to within 14 points or so but that conference has no chance to outrecruit those named above on any kind of consistent basis. Since the Pac12 obviously doesn't emphasize CFB to the extent that the SEC does, it's hard for me to see any of those schools being a legit threat. And, remember, UCLA and USC will soon be B10 schools so, unless Oregon catches lightning in a bottle, I don't see anyone being able to compete for the NC.
5. I appreciate what M. Stoops has done for UK football. But, I truly think our ceiling is a NY6 bowl game and being top 15 1 out 4 years with top 25-30 the remainder. The money required, the inherent recruiting advantages, the emphasis that the above teams place on football above all other sports means UK will, at best, be a 2nd tier team. I can live with that but I will need to temper my expectations each preseason. 8-4 or better with a ceiling at 10-2 is as good as it's ever gonna get, imo. Just too many advantages the elites have that we won't be able to overcome all of them consistently.
6. While defense doesn't necessarily win championships like it did previously, Georgia the past 2 years has shown that an outstanding defense can certainly go a long way to doing so. They obviously have a ton of offensive talent but the defense, in both these past 2 seasons, set the tone for their championship runs, imo. Stoops' philosophy is spot on. He just doesn't have, and probably will only very rarely have, enough talent to go all the way.
2. How would Levis have fared with the time to throw to a really good, deep corps of WRs and 2 all-world TEs behind that UGa line? Bennett is much better than I ever gave him credit for and his football IQ is >>>Levis', but he had a LOT of time to scan the field and find the right guy to throw to. Quick decision maker, quick feet, buys time in the pocket, pretty decent arm and all those weapons and all that time to find them - pretty devastating combination.
3. Brock Bowers is one of the best CFB players I've ever seen. He could start for almost all NFL teams today (Chiefs - Kelce, 49ers - Kittle are the only 2 I can name off the top of my head who have a better TE). Big? Yes. Strong, good blocker? Yes. Runs good routes? Yes. Fast? Hell, yes. Good hands? Yes. He's so much better than any defender I've seen try to check that guy. When he gets to the NFL, if his OC doesn't target him 7 times/game, he ought to be fired immediately. While he's not a QB, I think you can make a pretty good argument that he's the best CFB player in the country. Huge mismatch against every other team Georgia plays.
4. The 12-team playoff will not increase my interest in CFB, which is, admittedly, starting to wane. Anyone think #12, whoever it happens to be, would give Georgia or OSU a competitive game? While I highly doubt we'll see another 65-7 public execution, it wouldn't surprise me to see many 1st round games being 3+ TD wipeouts. In today's CFB world with NIL and transfers, there is only going to be about 6 teams each year with a legitimate shot at the NC. The best 2 or 3 from the SEC. The best 2 from the B10. Every so often an ACC team. Every so often a Pac12 and/or Notre Dame team. That's it. B12? Nope, now that OU and TX are leaving. TCU was a nice story and I truthfully thought they'd keep it to within 14 points or so but that conference has no chance to outrecruit those named above on any kind of consistent basis. Since the Pac12 obviously doesn't emphasize CFB to the extent that the SEC does, it's hard for me to see any of those schools being a legit threat. And, remember, UCLA and USC will soon be B10 schools so, unless Oregon catches lightning in a bottle, I don't see anyone being able to compete for the NC.
5. I appreciate what M. Stoops has done for UK football. But, I truly think our ceiling is a NY6 bowl game and being top 15 1 out 4 years with top 25-30 the remainder. The money required, the inherent recruiting advantages, the emphasis that the above teams place on football above all other sports means UK will, at best, be a 2nd tier team. I can live with that but I will need to temper my expectations each preseason. 8-4 or better with a ceiling at 10-2 is as good as it's ever gonna get, imo. Just too many advantages the elites have that we won't be able to overcome all of them consistently.
6. While defense doesn't necessarily win championships like it did previously, Georgia the past 2 years has shown that an outstanding defense can certainly go a long way to doing so. They obviously have a ton of offensive talent but the defense, in both these past 2 seasons, set the tone for their championship runs, imo. Stoops' philosophy is spot on. He just doesn't have, and probably will only very rarely have, enough talent to go all the way.
