5 Key Questions Heading Into The UGA Game
posted by Scott Hood, Thursday, September 10, 2009
Will Georgia Start Joe Cox At Quarterback?: Yes. Although rumors floated early Thursday afternoon that redshirt sophomore Logan Gray would start against the Gamecocks, considering the importance of Saturday’s game there is no way UGA head coach Mark Richt would open the game with a signal-caller who has yet to throw a pass in his career, even if he has a lot of ability as a dual threat QB. Early Thursday afternoon, most major media outlets were reporting Gray would start. Shortly thereafter, the UGA athletic media relations office put an end to the speculation by putting out a statement saying the reports were erroneous. Expect Richt to go with the more experienced QB in this game.
Is Georgia A Desperate Football Team?: Yes. Rennie Curran’s statement saying Georgia’s reputation was at stake and then comparing the contest to the SEC championship game proves this is a must-win situation for Georgia. But should the Bulldogs be a more motivated team? No. If that’s the case, USC will have no one to blame but themselves. This is the SEC opener. It’s on national TV. There is a lot at stake both now and down the road. Georgia has Arkansas, Arizona State, LSU and Tennessee in the next four weeks. Thus, this is everything for UGA. If USC doesn’t come out like a pack of hungry wolves and match UGA’s intensity, then questions will linger.
Is Shaq Wilson Ready Take Over At Middle Linebacker?: Yes. Wilson isn’t the biggest guy in the world and probably a tad too small to play middle linebacker in the SEC but Spurrier has confidence he can do the job. Wilson is quicker sideline-to-sideline than Rodney Paulk, so he shouldn’t have trouble tracking runners down on the perimeter. The major question is how Wilson handles tackling Georgia runners between the tackles. So far, he has not exhibited any fear of sticking his nose in there, an absolute must for a middle linebacker. Besides his speed, Wilson’s biggest attribute is his intelligence. He knows the defense very well and can handle the various checks and calls he must make. Wilson had eight tackles last week. He could have that many on Saturday.
Will Either Offense Score More Than One TD?: They might not. This game could rival last week’s 7-3 win over NC State in terms of points scored. The defenses have dominated the last decade of this series as the SEC has moved closer and closer towards the NFL model where strong defenses, special teams and turnover margin dictate the outcome of games. USC has scored just three touchdowns in the last four meetings with the Bulldogs. Georgia hasn’t done much better, scoring 20 or more points just once since 2004. Considering the way both defenses played in their openers, Saturday could be a difficult day for the offenses.
Will Dion LeCorn Contribute At Receiver?: He should. By all accounts, the junior from Ocala, Fla. is close to 100 percent healthy after more than four months of rehab in the wake of the broken lower leg sustained in spring game. If LeCorn plays, his experience (41 career catches) should provide a boost to the USC attack. He’s one of the best blockers among the wide receivers and has proven he can get open against SEC defensive backs. If he plays Saturday, it will be interesting to see how Spurrier uses him and how many snaps he plays. He is backing up Moe Brown at one of the three WR positions. But Spurrier said Thursday after practice that he’s been pushing Brown for the starting job.
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South Carolina and Georgia will renew their long rivalry Saturday night at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Ga. The contest has been a low-scoring affair for most of the last decade. Here are five questions heading into the game:
Will Georgia Start Joe Cox At Quarterback?: Yes. Although rumors floated early Thursday afternoon that redshirt sophomore Logan Gray would start against the Gamecocks, considering the importance of Saturday’s game there is no way UGA head coach Mark Richt would open the game with a signal-caller who has yet to throw a pass in his career, even if he has a lot of ability as a dual threat QB. Early Thursday afternoon, most major media outlets were reporting Gray would start. Shortly thereafter, the UGA athletic media relations office put an end to the speculation by putting out a statement saying the reports were erroneous. Expect Richt to go with the more experienced QB in this game.
Is Georgia A Desperate Football Team?: Yes. Rennie Curran’s statement saying Georgia’s reputation was at stake and then comparing the contest to the SEC championship game proves this is a must-win situation for Georgia. But should the Bulldogs be a more motivated team? No. If that’s the case, USC will have no one to blame but themselves. This is the SEC opener. It’s on national TV. There is a lot at stake both now and down the road. Georgia has Arkansas, Arizona State, LSU and Tennessee in the next four weeks. Thus, this is everything for UGA. If USC doesn’t come out like a pack of hungry wolves and match UGA’s intensity, then questions will linger.
Is Shaq Wilson Ready Take Over At Middle Linebacker?: Yes. Wilson isn’t the biggest guy in the world and probably a tad too small to play middle linebacker in the SEC but Spurrier has confidence he can do the job. Wilson is quicker sideline-to-sideline than Rodney Paulk, so he shouldn’t have trouble tracking runners down on the perimeter. The major question is how Wilson handles tackling Georgia runners between the tackles. So far, he has not exhibited any fear of sticking his nose in there, an absolute must for a middle linebacker. Besides his speed, Wilson’s biggest attribute is his intelligence. He knows the defense very well and can handle the various checks and calls he must make. Wilson had eight tackles last week. He could have that many on Saturday.
Will Either Offense Score More Than One TD?: They might not. This game could rival last week’s 7-3 win over NC State in terms of points scored. The defenses have dominated the last decade of this series as the SEC has moved closer and closer towards the NFL model where strong defenses, special teams and turnover margin dictate the outcome of games. USC has scored just three touchdowns in the last four meetings with the Bulldogs. Georgia hasn’t done much better, scoring 20 or more points just once since 2004. Considering the way both defenses played in their openers, Saturday could be a difficult day for the offenses.
Will Dion LeCorn Contribute At Receiver?: He should. By all accounts, the junior from Ocala, Fla. is close to 100 percent healthy after more than four months of rehab in the wake of the broken lower leg sustained in spring game. If LeCorn plays, his experience (41 career catches) should provide a boost to the USC attack. He’s one of the best blockers among the wide receivers and has proven he can get open against SEC defensive backs. If he plays Saturday, it will be interesting to see how Spurrier uses him and how many snaps he plays. He is backing up Moe Brown at one of the three WR positions. But Spurrier said Thursday after practice that he’s been pushing Brown for the starting job.
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Scott Hood. Since February of 2005, Scott has covered the South Carolina football, men's basketball and baseball programs for GamecockCentral. He may be reached by email at scottblog(at)gamecockcentral.com. Replace (at) with @.