I have a very strong feeling Georgia will win between four and 12 games this year. It sounds silly, I know, but that's the reality. In 11 seasons Mark Richt has guided his program and himself to quite a cross roads. On one hand, a very talented group of freshman has arrived and the future is very bright. On the other hand, the team is coming off it's first losing season in 15 years. Throw high expectations into the mix and things could get interesting.
It starts with the defense. In year two of any system there will be improvement. It doesn't matter what team or what system, players will execute better in year two. UGA will have to lean heavily on defense. It's going to take time for the offense to come around. Defense usually starts out the year ahead of the offense and that will be more pronounced in Athens compared to other places around the country.
Georgia will also need a solid contribution from the dream team. For this highly touted freshman class, the future is now. They will have to learn, develop, and produce all at once. That's not going to be easy. By my count, the Bulldogs will have to rely on at least five true freshman to contribute right away. That count doesn't include one offensive lineman which, given depth concerns, seems inevitable.
Depth is becoming a dirty word in Athens. Frankly, there ain't a whole to go around. The top two receivers and running backs from last season are gone. Attrition has decimated the offensive line and line backing corp. It takes time to develop depth. Translation, it's not the best season to open with two of your toughest opponents.
The above is a recipe for disaster. A team without experience and depth usually starts slow and rallies to finish at or near .500, see the 2010 Volunteers. The good news is, the SEC East is down from it's usual level. Florida and Tennessee are in the same boat with UGA. Furthermore, Georgia dodges LSU, Alabama, and Arkansas from the west. From this chair, it looks like Mark Richt will have to rally an 0-2 football team to keep his job. It's not an easy task, but it is doable with this schedule if he can develop freshmen and depth, while leaning on a stingy defense to hold down the fort. All three things have to happen to avoid disaster.
Rest easy Bulldog fans. The future is very bright in Athens, but 2011 will test your patience.
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