SoGaDawg

Yep, I can assure you that if this is a close game, the crowd inside Mercedes Benz stadium will be anything but quiet. Georgia folks do love them some Dawgs football!

It’s true, there are many Dawg fans out there that assume GA will dominate and easily dispatch the Ducks. And while this is a possibility, the reason most of them believe this is bc they haven’t done their homework and actually know very little about Oregon’s football program. All these fans can see is a Pac-12 team that was blown out by Utah twice last season with a QB that UGA defenses have basically owned for three seasons. They have little knowledge of and certainly don’t see the disparity between last season’s Ducks and this season’s Ducks. Yes, it’s very possible that these fans are in for a bit of a reality check next Saturday. If the Ducks play to the level that they are capable, I think this wake up call will sink in about the same time the first half ends. I’m glad that I’m familiar with the Ducks and I feel fortunate that I’ve joined this forum. It’s given me some insight into the Oregon program that I would certainly be lacking had I not become an active member of the fishduck forum. My familiarity has increased exponentially and with it my anticipation of this game. My excitement level is off the charts! I can’t wait to tune in next Saturday! I have a feeling it’s going to be a good one.

I agree. I think that if the Ducks D performs at the level that I believe they are capable, this very well could be a defensive game that could be decided by a few big plays. If this game does turn out to be a defensive struggle, it will likely be a close game throughout. And while I’m very confident in GAs defense, a game that is close in the 4th quarter certainly works in Oregon’s favor. Yes it’s possible that if this happens GAs depth might win the day. It’s also possible that either team makes a big play late in the game to win the day.

I think Bo will get the start against GA. If for no other reason, bc he has experience playing against SEC and particularly against GA defenses. Also, bc I would not want to make one of the younger QBs first start come against a GA defense unless I had no other choice. I’m not saying they couldn’t handle it, but it would be a big ask and could potentially put them into a confidence killing situation in their first collegiate start.

I agree with the other Ducks that posted, this was a great post. Very well done. Yes, it doesn’t make sense that Christopher Smith was not listed as a returning starter. If I’m not mistaken, he started at safety in every game for GA and was a strong player and a very important piece for the defense. He is the player that had the pick six for GAs only TD against Clemson. With the defense that we play safety is a very difficult position to learn. Probably the hardest to learn when considering alignment and assignment. We were thin at Safety, if Smith went down it potentially could have been disastrous.

I love some good smash mouth football. And as long as you can completely dominate the LOS you can win by consistently running between the tackles. However, in today’s game, when playing against a good defense you can’t be that one dimensional. A power run game can be an effective tool for an offense, but when playing a good D you must run plays that will stretch the defense out and loosen them up a bit. Otherwise they will show no respect and will focus on the run. If this happens, you can’t beat a good defense by staying between the tackles.

Assuming that Bo starts, I think he will do well as long as he gets good protection. Big ask but Oregon’s O-line is solid and might be up to the task. Asking Oregon to put up 30 against a GA defense is asking a lot in their first game. Although, I expect the Ducks D to be a strength for them. It’s quite possible that the offense will not need to put up 30 to stay in the game, or even win it.

I agree, Benson looked really good. I’m not really sure why he left, but it would certainly be nice if Oregon still had him. But I think the Ducks will be fine at RB without him. One question- Wasn’t the reason he was underutilized at Oregon primarily bc of injuries? I’m not very familiar with that situation, I just assume this bc the announcers in the game seemed to point to that if I’m remembering correctly.

You are absolutely right. The Startes on the GA D-line do have experience. GA rotates the DL probably more than any other position group. It keeps the big guys fresh in case of a close game. Also, last year the starters played limited in the second half of many games. Although, GA will be rotating guys this year that have little or no experience on the DL. The Oregon O-line is very good and experienced. It’s possible that they might take advantage when GA’s young inexperienced guys come in. So many things to look for in this game. So many players I haven’t seen play much, or at least play much when it matters. I’m excited as heck for this game! May the best team win, unless Oregon has the best team………….. just kidding. My hope is that the best team does win and neither team suffers any major injuries. Go Dawgs…….and……..Go Ducks

Texas State Armadillos- Necessary Roughness

That’s a tough question. In a broad sense I think Lanning will simply run a scheme that best fits the defensive personnel he has on the field to maximize their effectiveness. That’s a rather cheap answer as obviously any coach tries to do this, I just believe Lanning is much better at accomplishing this than most. As far as what he might do differently, I think against GA he might scheme a bit more aggressively in an attempt to create big plays and turnovers. In this game I expect the Ducks to focus on slowing down GA’s running game as well as finding the best way to make Bennet feel uncomfortable behind center. If GA runs the ball well it will likely be a long day for Oregon, but if The GA offense is forced into some obvious passing situations it increases the likelihood of putting Bennet into situations where he might make mistakes, which could be huge. GA has a very good O-line IMO, so keeping them off balance by disguising aggressive pressure packages while risky, could pay off big. And Oregon is likely going to need their defense to make a few big game changing plays to keep pace. Oregon has great LBs and I think they will try to create opportunities to give these guys a chance to shine. I could be completely wrong, but I don’t expect Oregon have a conservative approach with their defensive scheme against GA. The Ducks have a lot of talent on D, and I believe to have the best chance to beat GA they need to be aggressive and give that talent a chance to create big plays. Step up those big safeties into tight coverage and in run support. Sure it’s risky, but a few big plays could make a huge difference. Make Stetson Bennet beat you with his arm. Yes that’s risky also, bc he is capable, but he may also make mistakes if he can’t rely on the run game and tries to create too much by forcing the ball. In short, just be aggressive on defense. Not to the point of recklessness, but trying hard to create opportunities for the Ducks talented defensive players to make a difference and possibly create turnovers.

I appreciate your kind words, and I also appreciate the warm welcome I’ve received from all Duck fans on this forum. You guys are a class act as well! I’ve really enjoyed learning about this Duck program from all involved. Who knows what will happen on Sept 3, I’m on pins and needles. We will see. I plan to be a regular here regardless though, bc I am a Duck fan. I just can’t be too dedicated on the 3rd of next month. You’ll have to forgive me, I bleed UGA red and black.

Absolutely, college football was made for talking a little smack. It’s fun and adds a bit of personal character to the game. I usually reserve my hard smack talking to my friends that are fans of other teams, only bc they understand the score and Honestly it just means more. I have a good friend that loves Bama, and I’ve had to deal with him incessantly for years. So many times we have come close only to fall victim to Bama. Trust me, he never let me forget. So obviously I was on a bit of a high going into last years SEC CG. I shoulda known better, Bama beat the brakes off of us and my buddy certainly let me know it………..again. Now my Bama buddy is probably the only friend I have that I can honestly say understands football better than me. He actually played D1 football and much of what I know I learned from him. We watched the playoff games together and after watching GA handle Michigan was the first time I remember him being a little lax on the trash talk. His exact words were “that defense is ridiculous”. Of coarse I saw the same thing he did and of coarse I talked it up as much as possible. I had nothing to lose and this was my one chance to stick it to him and all Bama fans for all the misery I had endured. Thank goodness it finally worked out in my favor. I do give my friend credit, he didn’t blame it on losing their top WRs or that they were missing their top DBs. He just tipped his hat so to speak. My point is, good hearted trash talk is part of college football. It’s just part of the fun. And my buddy has certainly gotten back on board bc he assures me that Bama will kick our butts this year if we are lucky enough to play them in the SEC CG. I tell him he is delusional and Nick Sabin is past his prime! Obviously Nick Sabin still haunts me in my dreams, but I can’t tell him that.

No fans should not feel compelled to donate to NIL. Being a fan is enough and one shouldn’t be made to feel guilty bc they don’t think it’s right or in their financial wheelhouse to donate to NIL. In contrast, one shouldn’t be made to feel guilty if they want to donate.

I absolutely agree with you. I’m not so much trying to defend my fellow Dawg fans and their smack talk, but it is college football, and talking a little trash really does fit in with the experience. Sure you should be respectful, and I would say that most are. But if you can’t get away with talkin a little smack after your team wins a natty then when can you. I have friends that are die hard Bama, LSU, Clemson, Florida State, and even Ohio State Fans. Needless to say I’ve taken my share of ribbing over the years. Of coarse I stuck the knife in a bit this past January. I may have even twisted it a bit! It’s all in good fun. It adds to the experience. And it’s a fact, what goes around comes around eventually. I think the Ducks are on the front end of another nice run with Lanning and Co. Will they win a NC? Who knows, but I think they will certainly be contenders and have shots at it.

Yes, it’s true. There are some UGA fans that are a bit delusional, and there are some that are arrogant in their views of college football. To be fair, these fans are still a bit on a high from their first NC in over 40 years. It’s ok if they are a bit arrogant for the time being. And really, most probably know very little about Oregon. They know Lanning is the coach, Bo Nix transferred in, and Utah really put it on Oregon twice last season. Many don’t believe the whispers the might have heard about Oregon being extremely talented. There are also UGA fans that have a better understanding of Oregon and the Pac-12 in general. As for me, I’m absolutely concerned about playing the Ducks. Most of the other Dawg fans I’ve seen post on this forum would likely agree. The Perception of the Pac-12 is just not good at the moment, so lazy fans just assume every team in the conference will be sub-par. As amcDawg said, win big games, put teams in the playoff and perception will change. While there are Dawg fans that take Oregon much too lightly, I think some of that will change Sept. 3. I don’t think this game will be a blowout. It’s really hard to tell though. Too many changes from last year for both teams. Time will tell.

Midnight train to Georgia

Yessir, we do talk a might different! Mindya, we don’t judge other folks for speaking incorrectly. 😅

I agree, it is high time they get deserved recognition. I’m no Utes fan but they have certainly earned respect from the rest of college football. And I must admit Billy Napier is likely to prove to be a very good power 5 Coach given time. But UF must commit to giving him time. At the moment I think Utah is the favorite.

I have to agree. I grew up in South GA, and I honestly thought I didn’t have much of a southern accent when I was young. At least not when compared to others. I quickly learned when I moved out of the country, that not only did I have a definitive southern drawl, people picked up on it instantly. It was most fortuitous for me, bc I found that many people that live elsewhere really love a southern accent. I lived out of country for a number of years and it did get a bit old after awhile.

Yep, not saying it’s exactly a neutral field, but the Ducks do catch a break by playing in Mercedes Benz stadium rather than Sanford Stadium. It’s likely that Utah feels the effects of summer weather in the Deep South while taking on the Gators in Gainesville. I do hope that the Utes can overcome this and handle the Gators. Don’t get me wrong, I do normally pull for the SEC. Unless that SEC team is UF or the opposing out of conference team is Oregon. I am also likely to pull for an out of conference foe if they are a big underdog and have a chance to beat an SEC team that isn’t GA. Honestly, I wish that UGA and UO could have worked out a home and home, but playing at 72 degrees does benefit all involved this time of year.

I’ve heard of this before. My dad played football and he told me they specifically used orange slices at half time. He also said that during practice you didn’t get regular water breaks. The coaches would allow them to suck on wet rags for a water break. Yep, back then they thought drinking water while playing or practicing was bad for you.

I agree that Nix is very capable of making plays with his legs, but not too sure it would be the wisest decision in this game. Aside from picking up a much needed first down or turning a second and long into a third and short, it might not be worth the potential consequences. If he does find success running I hope that he gets what he can and then quickly gets down or out of bounds. Otherwise he will likely take some hits that no team is comfortable with their QB taking. On the upside, Nix is familiar with GA defenses. He is probably aware of what he can and cannot get away with.

Dawgs 27 Ducks 17

It’s very encouraging to hear positive remarks about Bassa and Addison. Especially referring to player communication and being on the same page as far as knowing where you should be and knowing responsibility and recognizing the correct call on defense. With the talent the Ducks have on defense, if they can become exceptional at working together as a unit, that could be the difference in being a good defense or being a great defense. Or as Kirby puts it “becoming an Elite defense”. I don’t claim to know much about Coach Lupoi yet, I’m still learning about him. It sounds like he is taking the right approach to get the defense to maximize its potential. Like I said before, it sounds very encouraging.