A few thoughts that will be totally meaningless in 7 days

Aug 23, 2014, 11:07 AM

What happened last year is equally as meaningless as the AP Preseason Poll. Nobody really knows – you have potential, analysis of talent & work ethic, injuries, mental games, discipline issues, academic issues and a lot of that thing called luck. All preseason predictions are meaning less especially when you move towards the second half of the poll. In my opinion there is no difference between 16 and 12 … none what so ever.

Many try to use stats, adding & subtracting, and wishful thinking in what their team is going to do this upcoming season. Me? I never make predictions. I enjoy the season. At times I am tremendously happy and others I am about as frustrated as a man my age can get. From my limited knowledge (from both teams) I can only assume what I think it will take for either side to win. Turnovers go without saying … that is true with any game at any level on any given day. But, this is what I think:

For Clemson to win –
1) Stoudt, as a fourth year – first year starter will have to manage the line of scrimmage from the first snap. He has great snaps in his playing time experience. It has not been against starters (for the most part) and it will be on the road which will make it that much more difficult. I don’t care what anyone says, a first start is a first start. Big challenge. Yes, Mason has a tough task at hand too, but we will get to that later. If he steps up and has the time and opportunity to hit his receivers in our secondary it may very well be a big day for the young man. He will have his hands full with a more aggressive style of defense than Georgia has played in years and a front seven who has depth and one of the best linebacker corps in college football … potentially.
2) Defense line … what can I say here … from what I have read it will probably be the best that Georgia faces this year and a LB corps who will be strong. These 7 will most definitely control the pulse of the Tigers for most of the season. Though many of you may argue with me … barring injury … you don’t stop Gurley you just try to contain him. Blitz too much will give him (or his teammates) the opportunity to hit the second level and break a long run. Pressure from the ends could prove deadly for the Dawgs.

To simplify, if Stoudt steps up and matches his performance numbers to date and the defense contains Georgia’s running game and pressures from the edges Clemson will walk away with a second consecutive win.

For Georgia to win –
1) Despite popular belief on Tigernet, Georgia’s defense will be more experienced than what they field week one last year. Combined with the aggressive style of Pruitt and a more simplified version of the previous year’s defense this squad has to perform much better than last year. Will it happen? I really don’t know. One thing that I do know is that the LB corps will be one of the best Georgia has fielded in years … combined with an experienced and deep offensive line. Key to the game the front seven. They will have to play well enough to protect the secondary. This young and thin squad will need to the help not lose the game.
2) Georgia’s offense will have to keep Clemson’s front seven honest. Not too many blitzes that game plan will prove to help to the Dawgs. Not enough and Mason may have the opportunity to go down field with the ball. Play action will be the key to make this happen. Not just good play calling, but must include execution. The players make the difference between a great play caller and a bad one. If it is executed correctly and works he is great … if there is a break down in execution he stinks … (sorry about wondering) Ball control, let the play action develop and Mason keeping his composure will be the key.

Looking forward to a good game. Clemson fans attending the game … if you stay away from the drunk frat boys and other drunk fans (which every team has) you will have a fun day. Yell back at a drunk and you have a fight on your hand. Be friendly and you are likely to be fed and served a few from decent Georgia fans. You might get ribbed a bit, but something tells me that if you frequent Tigernet you don’t have any problem with some ribbing.

My final words … I SURE AM GLAD WE ARE NOT PLAYING IN DEATH VALLEY THIS YEAR!

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I like threads like this. Good discussion. Good analysis. Thus far troll-free. (May it stay that way.)

I agree with pretty much everything. I think it comes down to Stoudt...because I think UGA's OL - and consequently, Mason - are going to struggle. Clemson's D-line is probably the best in the country (yes, better than Alabama's, better than LSU's) and we've upgraded dramatically in the secondary, especially with Mackenzie Alexander, if all reports on him are to be believed.

I am concerned about our run fits. Gurley's first touch last year went for 75+ yards and a TD...and it was because a safety didn't find his run fit and Gurley was through the gap and then on into the end zone before we realized what hit us. We are replacing two starting LB's and while one replacement, Steward is a former 5-star and is now allegedly healthy for the first time in his career he's never started before, and we're also replacing Quan Christian on the other side. If our LB's and safeties dither and hesitate - at all - we could see more repeats of that. Contrariwise, while Gurley and Co. did some damage with long runs last year, they were oftentimes blown up in the backfield a lot too...again, our DL is very, very disruptive. Now it's a year older...and Grady Jarrett, arguably the best player on the D (yes, probably even better than Vic Beasley) is not playing with a torn labrum in his shoulder. The DL also goes 3-deep. UGA is not going to be able to wear this unit out.

UGA is going to try to get to Stoudt. The crowd is going to try to get to Clemson's offense. If the O executes, gets the ball out quick, and forces UGA to back off - because Pruitt is certainly going to stack the box and pressure - then Clemson will probably do just fine on offense. But if Stoudt is not composed, if our OL struggles, and if our very talented but young RB's put the ball on the ground, it could be a long night in Athens.

(Sad to say, that will probably be the end of Stoudt, because his edge on Deshaun Watson is allegedly his veteran composure and superior grasp on the offense. If the composure isn't there, there's really no point in continuing the conversation, because Watson is without question more physically talented...and talent will always trump experience, especially as they say, if you are willing to give talent some experience....)

I'm rooting for Stoudt. He's waited his turn, has conducted himself with class, and I'd like to see him seize his opportunity, have a good year and get his chance at the NFL.

We'll know a lot more in seven days. I can definitely see it going either way.

A few thoughts that will be totally meaningless in 7 days

Re: A few thoughts that will be totally meaningless in 7 days

Agreed. Even if Pruitt is top notch the

Question on Mason that I haven't seen addressed

Re: Question on Mason that I haven't seen addressed

Re: Question on Mason that I haven't seen addressed

Re: Question on Mason that I haven't seen addressed

Re: Question on Mason that I haven't seen addressed

Keystone Cops .. Wish I would have thought of that first

pretty solid analysis**

Re: pretty solid analysis**

Pretty logical, but a few counter points to ponder...

Re: Pretty logical, but a few counter points to ponder...

Re: Pretty logical, but a few counter points to ponder...

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