Alright, first and foremost, I am thrilled with being 3-0. I love this team and think they can be great. Our D looks very good, perhaps not as good as last year with no Ingram and no Gilmore, but still VERY good. If Auguste gives us anything we are a top 10 defense.
However, to play DEVIL"S ADVOCATE, let's admit we have some serious issues, starting with the running game and QB play. It is disturbing to see us struggle to run against teams like ECU and UAB, even if we pick it up by halftime. IMO, Dylan Thompson is still an unknown commodity, at least until we play a decent defense. ECU and UAB do not qualify. With Shaw at least we know he is battle tested; but it is evident his shoulder is hurt. Playing tackle football does not normally allow an injured shoulder to heal.
Speaking of issues, we are still highly questionable on special teams. Yates missed a chip shot FG and I am expecting Hull to give us about a 36 yard average this year, which sucks. I just hope he doesn't punt it into Jerideau any time soon. Ard's opening kickoff against UAB was sad also.
Having said all that, we can expect to win these next 2 games before UGA rolls into town. I would not trade our issues for the ones that Clemson or UT have. I think many of our issues can be coached up (please Coach Elliot find us a running game before Oct 6). Thank God we have M. Lattimore and M. Davis, who looks like a stud. These two are minimizing our poor run blocking right now, and B. Wilds will be back soon also. One of my big fears is that we are going to need Dylan Thompson to pass us to victories AT LSU and AT UF. Hey maybe he can do it though. Again, thankfully, we have the best coach in the SEC (not named Saban).
Our schedule is brutal, especially compared to UGA's. We must beat them and pray that someone else beats them, unless we expect to go 8-0 or 7-1 in-conference. Not very realistic. The goal for this season is to get back to Atlanta, which is already very difficult with our schedule - made tougher with our poor run blocking (stated by Spurrier himself). Am I off my rocker with these concerns?
However, to play DEVIL"S ADVOCATE, let's admit we have some serious issues, starting with the running game and QB play. It is disturbing to see us struggle to run against teams like ECU and UAB, even if we pick it up by halftime. IMO, Dylan Thompson is still an unknown commodity, at least until we play a decent defense. ECU and UAB do not qualify. With Shaw at least we know he is battle tested; but it is evident his shoulder is hurt. Playing tackle football does not normally allow an injured shoulder to heal.
Speaking of issues, we are still highly questionable on special teams. Yates missed a chip shot FG and I am expecting Hull to give us about a 36 yard average this year, which sucks. I just hope he doesn't punt it into Jerideau any time soon. Ard's opening kickoff against UAB was sad also.
Having said all that, we can expect to win these next 2 games before UGA rolls into town. I would not trade our issues for the ones that Clemson or UT have. I think many of our issues can be coached up (please Coach Elliot find us a running game before Oct 6). Thank God we have M. Lattimore and M. Davis, who looks like a stud. These two are minimizing our poor run blocking right now, and B. Wilds will be back soon also. One of my big fears is that we are going to need Dylan Thompson to pass us to victories AT LSU and AT UF. Hey maybe he can do it though. Again, thankfully, we have the best coach in the SEC (not named Saban).
Our schedule is brutal, especially compared to UGA's. We must beat them and pray that someone else beats them, unless we expect to go 8-0 or 7-1 in-conference. Not very realistic. The goal for this season is to get back to Atlanta, which is already very difficult with our schedule - made tougher with our poor run blocking (stated by Spurrier himself). Am I off my rocker with these concerns?
