Georgia's Kirby Smart Previews Michigan (247)
Link to article in 247 (free) .
Few points to note:
- Gives the requisite coachspeak accolades to Michigan players and coaches.
- Muschamp and Schumann will be co defensive coordinators.
- He says that they have 3 good QBs on the team. (Which I hope means none)
December 18th, 2021 at 10:42 PM ^
This is the greatest gif of all time for Harbaugh! Even though it was during tough times, he is awesome!
December 18th, 2021 at 2:49 PM ^
Eff UGA. GO BLUE!
I do love me some Ugga though. Can't resist that wrinkly cuteness.
December 18th, 2021 at 3:10 PM ^
Revenge game with Muschamp on staff
December 18th, 2021 at 3:20 PM ^
Apparently they actually have 4 QBs in there. One per quarter to really screw up Michigans planning
December 18th, 2021 at 3:32 PM ^
Thanks for the post, but I would argue none of those points are worth noting.
December 18th, 2021 at 3:43 PM ^
None of this really matters. No coaches at UGA, nor their players, respect Michigan. I can assure you that they look at Michigan the same way we look at Maryland. If we were Ohio State with a killer pass game, then they would take this serious. But to them, we are a run first team (which is their strength) with a bunch of guys they never heard of because many of our players are not top 100 recruits. It is up to Michigan to prove Georgia wrong.
December 18th, 2021 at 4:18 PM ^
Well said. Let the game do the talking.
December 18th, 2021 at 4:22 PM ^
Yep. He said they're not focusing on Michigan, just focusing on themselves. Negligence. But I'll take it. We might kill these guys.
December 19th, 2021 at 8:43 PM ^
One can hope. I’m getting more nervous as the days pass. Georgia is a great team regardless of what happened against Bama. I just hope that whatever the hell kind of voodoo that gattis used the last few games continues. If it does I like the chances of Georgia and their fans looking like OSU a month ago.
December 18th, 2021 at 4:25 PM ^
Not just UGA the whole south feels that way. Everyone in Knoxville thinks Alabama and Georgia have tune up games before the championship. I have not met anyone that gives Michigan the slightest chance down here. They just assume that SEC football is so much better than every other conference it does not occur to them either of "their" teams can lose. They also take a really cultish pride in the SEC. Both these teams beat UT but Vol fans act like their biggest fans, I will never get it.
December 18th, 2021 at 4:35 PM ^
I live in Georgia. While there are plenty that think the way you describe, my friends who root for UGA have felt nervous all season, and aren't taking anything for granted, especially after getting whooped by Bama.
But if there's anything Michigan's season has proved it's that the mindset of the players doesn't have anything to do with that of the fanbases.
Looking forward to a good matchup with both teams at or close to full strength. Hopefully the good guys pull it out.
December 18th, 2021 at 5:00 PM ^
Georgia has been my second team of sorts since about 2005 (ex-wife is from Georgia etc) and their fanbase is a lot like ours: they fear the worst. I also now live in Georgia and all of my coworkers who root for Georgia believe Michigan is going to win.
If Georgia fails to respect our pass game they are in for a long night. Our WRs may not be household names but Roman Wilson, Cornelius Johnson, Andrel Anthony, and the TEs will be playing in the NFL in due time. They are legit weapons. And that doesn’t even include our very capable pass catching, future NFL RBs.
December 18th, 2021 at 6:32 PM ^
Also have been in Atlanta since 2005 and would concur with that sentiment of UGA fans.
Beyond UM, talking to anyone here that is a fan and/or played football they would tell you they think very little of football in the north. Would have to agree in that football simply is very different and more important than I remember growing up in MI.
As a side note, I work in an elementary school and was recently talking to a 6 year old that is way behind grade level academically but could tell me all about his position at Outside Linebacker. His league has parades, cheerleaders, O and D coordinators, jerseys that were nicer than my high schools, and even tailgates…a league for 6 and 7 year olds.
December 18th, 2021 at 7:29 PM ^
6 year olds are kindergarten age so I’m not sure how you concluded he’s behind academically
December 18th, 2021 at 9:11 PM ^
Because he’s Southern! Boom!
(I have a aunt who’s from TN and she’s super nice and cooks with bacon grease.)
December 20th, 2021 at 9:59 AM ^
In kindergarten you should be able to count to 100, count by 10s, etc. Should know the alphabet and all the sounds, start recognizing sight words/be able to sound out simple words, etc. If he can't do those things, it would be easy to conclude he's behind academically.
December 18th, 2021 at 9:14 PM ^
Kid sounds like the perfect recruit for most SEC schools
December 18th, 2021 at 9:17 PM ^
I live here too and all of mine are talking about the rematch already. Nobody gives Michigan a chance and all think that game vs Alabama was rigged to get two SEC teams in.
December 18th, 2021 at 5:18 PM ^
I hate the SEC-slobbing as much as anybody, but it's got some merit doesn't it? At least when you compare SEC to northern schools. Ohio State is the only team to do anything, right? It's similar to us B1G fans in basketball getting defensive when outsiders knock the conference -- but then you look at the lack of championship and it's hard not to agree.
I hope we can break the cycle in both sports, but it's similar to how I felt about the UM-OSU rivalry -- you've got to win one (or even a couple) before I can defend you any longer. Until then, what the other side is saying is pretty true.
December 18th, 2021 at 5:30 PM ^
Yes, until the BIG actually takes home some hardware everything that is said is mere bluster. Deliver at least occasionally and then there are some bona fides to hang your hat on. Hopefully we can be the first BIG team besides Ohio State that actually can back up the speculation.
December 18th, 2021 at 5:46 PM ^
When was the last time a SEC football power school traveled north to play? I guess Georgia beat ND in a tight game in South Bend. After that, I really can't think of anyone. Neutral games in their footprint or maybe Jerry's world are essentially home games for them. Most of the bowl games are in their footprint as well (thank you Rose Bowl). If they are so dominant, come on up north for a game in November. Home and away.
December 18th, 2021 at 11:39 PM ^
Auburn played (and lost) at PSU this year.
December 19th, 2021 at 11:06 AM ^
This, a million times.
I want to see all these SEC tough guys start playing games in November when it's in the low 30s and there's a good chance of snow.
SEC weather in November is basically spring camp weather. That's not real football weather, so it's not real football.
December 18th, 2021 at 6:58 PM ^
26-14-1
I live in Florida, and we kicked UF's ass a few times, including with Tim Tebow. Some fans are stupid, but--believe me--Smart is preparing carefully to play us.
December 18th, 2021 at 9:13 PM ^
I wish we had a bunch of games around New Years on neutral fields to find out who is better.
December 19th, 2021 at 12:18 PM ^
I wish we had a bunch of games around New Years on neutral fields IN THE MIDWEST AND NORTH rather than in the backyard of the SEC to find out who is better.
December 18th, 2021 at 9:24 PM ^
I live in Lexington and UK fans have rode the coattails of SEC success in football for a long time. Back in the mid-2000’s I knew several UK fans who claimed UK would likely beat OSU in football during the Treasell and early Meyer years (when I would challenge their notion that all SEC football is vastly superior to all BiG10 football) and UK was pretty pedestrian then.
Truth is the best teams in the SEC and their fans I think actually have a modicum of respect for good teams in other conferences and realize games against them could be very competitive, because game recognizes game….while the fans of the teams that aren’t as good in the SEC have a “my dad could beat up your dad” kind of complex, making their mediocre teams merely a victim of being in the daunting SEC, and they lay claim to every Alabama Nat’l championship as of it is somehow their own.
December 19th, 2021 at 1:33 PM ^
My take is probably unpopular here, but I feel like they've got a right to. We've got our rivals and their brilliant 38-0 and 31-0 performances to thank for that. The SEC has dominated the sport for over a decade and I completely understand why they've got the reputation they have.
However, the Michigan Wolverines have arrived and our boys have got the power to change all of that. Let's whoop some ass!
December 18th, 2021 at 5:57 PM ^
On top of everything you said, our WR group has pedestrian numbers - none of them standout, and nobody pops off the page like a clear #1 guy. They look, on paper, like a bunch of average guys. Edwards will have their attention, but Corum doesn't look like he has the top end speed that he actually does - because injury. Cade is just another guy at QB - below avg passing numbers, weak arm, can't run, your basic game manager. McCarthy is a freshman that isn't good enough to unseat the game manager...
This offense looks like just another Wisconsin type outfit on paper. The speed and diversity of the pass game will surprise them. The killer instinct will show on the field. The only question I have about this game is whether Georgia can match Michigan's intensity.
If that intensity surprises them, they're already fucked...
December 18th, 2021 at 6:38 PM ^
Michigan is just fodder before the rematch with Bama … SEC has no respect for the B1G and they clearly have more “talent” than UM.
Kirby probably looked at the roster and only recognized 2-3 recruits and none of them merited a “UGA package.”
UM will have to prepare incredibly well, players must execute with excellence, and coaches have to call a great game. All of those are in their control.
Go Blue.
December 19th, 2021 at 5:41 AM ^
I was at our Birmingham office the week before OSU beat the hell out of Bama and the arrogance was astounding. Granted I didn’t give OSU a chance either, but the feeling as a whole was Bama was just to fast and talented and OSU wouldn’t be able to pass on them. I went back the next week and it was like a funeral in that place. The slow lumbering big 10 punched Bama in the mouth repeatedly in a way that Bama wasn’t used to. Let’s hope we do the same to a Georgia team that looks at us like an inconvenient bump in the road to Indianapolis.
December 19th, 2021 at 8:30 AM ^
Great, sure hope they look ahead. We can win this game
December 18th, 2021 at 5:38 PM ^
If the team plays up to their potential, everyone might be surprised.
There are a lot of distractions between the Iowa game and this playoff match. Whether the team can overcome those, and have a great game, remains to be seen.
I think we have a 50/50 chance, and better than that if all Georgia does is key on the run.
December 18th, 2021 at 7:17 PM ^
A colleague of mine is a Georgia grad. We have bonded here in Buckeyeland by virtue of not being Buckeyes. A friendly wager has been placed. We will hate each for a short period of time (maybe longer for the loser) then go back to hating the Buckeyes together. Some things are more important.
December 18th, 2021 at 9:22 PM ^
My wife's a Georgia fan and we live in Georgia, I may be divorced with no friends once this is over.
December 19th, 2021 at 8:04 AM ^
Yikes! That sounds like a if you win you lose and if you lose you lose type deal. My daughter, (obviously) a UM fan married a Buckeye fan and, living in OH, has tons of Buckeye friends. That hasn't stopped her from throwing our win in their face rudely and repeatedly. Discreet she is not. I love her. I will say her husband has never gloated over a win, though he did say he thought we would have to play an A+ game in order to win. Guess we went to the head of the class.
December 20th, 2021 at 12:32 PM ^
What stood out to me about the article was something that has nothing to do with it.
Namely, I noticed for the first time that Dean leads the UGA defense with 61 tackles on the season. How is it that their all-everything middle backer only has 3 more tackles on the season than Hutchinson? I think Ross has 90+ on the season. I guess teams really abandoned the run against them this year.