Latest / Dawgs Down South / Episode 110 Part 1: Pre Camp Preview and HOT TAKES, Curt Cignetti Comments, Lane Kiffin Vacation

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Episode 110 Part 1: Pre Camp Preview and HOT TAKES, Curt Cignetti Comments, Lane Kiffin Vacation · Dawgs Down South

• Ted Turner: Greetings, everyone. Welcome to Dogs Down South. It's good to be with you tonight. I'm your host, Ted Turner, and I'm excited, I'm excited, I'm excited. We are officially really, really close to August 1st next week. Next week kicks off fall camp. Kirby does a really good job of not really I guess. guess advertising when fall camp starts. I think with all the social media and if you follow players, whether they be on TikTok or Instagram or Facebook, they kind of give some things away. And but Kirby's he keeps that pretty close as far as what he's doing and when he's starting. but I have that gut feeling that next week, one day next week, we will see practices fired up for media usually They have a practice, and then we get the gist that that it's going on, and then we hop in and it's it's off to the races from there, which w you know kind of gets us to let me look at my countdown. Let's let's let's go countdown going on. for viewers, thirty-six days, thirty-six days until Georgia plays its home opener in Athens between the hedges. Tonight's gonna be a really, really good episode. I got a feeling it's gonna be a part one and a part two. And I'll tell you why. It's because we just got off of completing our SEC summer preview. We've had a summer filled with breaking down every single SEC team that Georgia will play in the regular season, as well as previewing all the other teams and what we can expect from them this year. but tonight is solely based off of A lot of hot takes, probably. a Georgia kind of a preview and kind of, you know, saving the best for last per se. And we're gonna do it a little bit different. Obviously, we could sit here and talk about starters and what we think about this and that and the other. But I thought it would be really cool to hop in and just talk some hot takes, throw some things out there, give some extra takes and just really. Introduce more of what we think this team will look like and what we can expect this year through some things that may come true, things that may not, but also talk about if these things come true, we feel like there's a good opportunity for Georgia to make a deep run, not only in the SEC but in the college football playoff. But if some of these things don't come true, you know, where does that leave Georgia? And and what does that what does that mean for the season, right? So let's hop right in. However, I want to start here because there's a couple of things here that I did not expect to really talk about. Two big topics I really didn't really expect to talk about much, but Kirk Signetti. Kirk Signetti, if if if nobody has been on planet Earth in the last couple of years, you would know Kirk Signetti from he is the coach at the University of Indiana. they just came off a a national championship winning season last year. And also, you know, had the Heisman trophy winner, first pick in the draft. And you know, the biggest the big thing I'm hearing is is, you know, Kirk Signetti is is officially the the best college football coach out there right now. They have him ranked higher than Kirby Smart. They some people have Ryan Day actually ranked higher than Kirby Smart. but I thought, you know, I wasn't really going to enter into this topic. But I thought it'd be a cool icebreaker tonight because, you know, Kurt Cignetty went out there, the Big Ten had their media days and it's not very heavily publicized. Obviously, because the Big Ten is is not very, in my opinion, heavily publicized because they're so th they they want to be the SEC so bad, but they fall so short. but he obviously opened his mouth. And, you know, my thing tonight to really talk about before we get into our Georgia hot takes is What what has Kurt Signetti done to even hold a candle to Kirby Smart? I mean, everybody has him on this list of he's the best coach in college football. He's, you know, he deserves that right. He deserves so I thought it would be cool. Number one, I wanna I wanna share the comment and I also want to talk a little Kirby Smart, Kurt Signetti. And these are not my statistics. I'm pulling these straight off of The old Google, like you can Google this. This is this is public knowledge. you can even go as far as chat GPT and then they'll give you the same things because I don't want this to be about my opinion. I want this to be straight facts. Okay. First off, straight facts are that he did make this comment that the Big Ten is the best league in football. He said, we don't run a hype machine up here in the Midwest. We believe everything's earned, not given. And when we fall short, we say we fall short. When we don't cry river and whine and complain, all right, that's why we're the best. Listen, I I have no idea how in the world you think you can just just because you go out there and you win one national championship and you I mean, the guy looks like he's not even real, right? And he looks like AI. If I've ever, if I've ever thought AI was on the sideline, here you go, right? And I'm and I'm not gonna not talk him bad. I'm just telling you the truth. Like he has no emotions in a lot of in lot of scenarios. He just says stuff like this. Like the one thing you really didn't hear a lot of at the SEC media days was you didn't hear a lot of this banter, right? Nobody came out there and I mean, yes, coaches were like, I I feel like the S you know, the I feel like the SEC is the best conference in college football. Okay. And as it as it should be, I mean, I think coaches should talk very highly of the SEC. I think it is well ran. The Big Ten has Props to be given to that, you know, they have some very competitive teams and it's it's run really well. But like nobody got on stage and said stuff like this, right? So like this just kind of just kind of digs at me and it digs at the fact that who the heck does Kurt Signetti think he is, right? He hops on here and and I guess he's seen some of the stuff that's being talked about as well. You know, he's seeing, you know, his, you know, equivalences to either being as good or better than Kirby Smart. And all these things. Well, I I thought I would just share some statistics with you. Okay. And like I said, these are these are statistics you can find. You can find them if you go Google them right now. Statistically. Kirby Smart is 117 and 21, which gives him about a a.848 win percentage. Kurt Signetti is 46 and six and gives him about a.885. But in 117 wins and 21 losses, You're literally microseconds behind that win percentage, right? bowl record nine and four Kirby Smart, three and one Kurt Signetti, four SEC championships for Kirby Smart, one Big Ten for Kurt Signetti, three SEC coaches of the year, and two AP coach of the year's Brian Award, Big Ten Coach of the Year, Yaddy Yaddy. record versus top ten teams, twenty seven and eleven. Six and two for Kirk Signetti. So when you look at Kirby Smart and you look at through his, you know, through his first four FBS seasons, no active coach has had a better winning percentage. None. Now, I would say if Kirk Signetti keeps it up, he he might could he might get close to that. Two national championships for Kirby Smart, four SEC championships, sustained success over 10 plus seasons, more than 100 wins at the highest level of college football. Okay. you know. What does Kurt Signetti have going? I mean, obviously, the program turnaround at Indiana is incredible. Arguably one of the greatest rebuilds in college football. They went from one of the nation's historically weakest programs to a national champion just two seasons under Signetti. I get it, right? But bottom line, when you look at Kirby, best overall coach today, based on complete resume, is Kirby Smart. Still has the edge. If it's an edge, right? Championships and sustained excellence, Kirby Smart. Bar none. You know, pure winning percentage, I mean it it does go to Signetti, but not based off of the amount of games. Most statistically impressive early career, I get it, Kurt Signetti. But like, how are we talking like how are we talking about this right now? Right? I I wanna see what Kurt Signetti can do this year. And I'm sure this clip might be pulled later on, but what can he do this year where you have a little bit of adversity? You have roster turnover, right? And we get it, you know. You know, Indiana has a billionaire back in their program and you know, you don't hear much about how much they're spending, things of that nature. We have an offensive line that averages the age of 35 and all these things, and that's great, man. But can we just knock it off about the fact that Kurt Signetti is the best coach in college football? Because right now there's without a shadow of a doubt, that's Kirby Smart. Like it is. You Google it, you chat GPT it, you let me know. If you're saying something different, it's because you have this biased opinion. This is not me having a biased opinion. This is me looking at things statistically and going, it doesn't add up. It doesn't measure up. If anything, Ryan Day probably has a closer shake at that. But Ryan Day obviously had his moments the past few seasons that he's had some I mean, borderline was almost fired at Ohio State and he couldn't beat Michigan. So don't want to go into that, but I just kind of want to Squash the rumor on Curtis Signetti. It's like, you know, man, like, knock it off, dude. Like, you're you're probably the only coach that's sitting at media days right now that's trying to sit here and talk smack about your conference. You don't need to. You don't need to. You don't need to draw any more attention to the Big Ten. You don't need to draw any more attention to Indiana. You're on the map, man. You're on the map, right? It's about as much people as use Chat GPT as there's about as much people realize who you are. Okay. And that's probably a lot. But as far as you saying meaningful things, can you please do that? Because we're sick and tired of hearing you all you do is sit there and act like that your words that you have to say carry so much weight, but they all are just so robotic. And it's ridiculous. second person kind of on my list while I'm just kind of going down this list and and and it begins, man, like we're covering Georgia, you know, one hundred percent outside of this, but I thought it would be just, you know, to kind of cap off before we start talking SEC in Georgia is, you know. The darling per se of SEC Media Days was obviously Lane Kippen. I think one of the strongest showings was was Kirby in Georgia. I think Texas took on a big persona when they were in the building. there's a lot of pressure on Texas, a lot of pressure on Arch and Sarkeesian and and and I think if they don't produce this year, you got problems in Texas really quick. I think they're gonna be good. but it's so funny. It's like everybody's like Texas, Texas. Who has the best roster? Texas. Who has the best opportunity? Texas. Who has the best? Texas. But yet at the end of the SEC media days, everybody chose Georgia. I I I it's just I don't understand it. I I really don't understand it. It's really all because this has just become become really out of hand as far as like how much you're spending on your roster, how much you're you're doing to go out there and bolster your coaching staff, how much you're doing as far as donors, how much your, you know, your team is, you know, you're you're you're playing the tough teams and you're doing all these things and Sarkeesian is this and you have a you have a Georgia problem. So I think the media all, even though they're covering it and they're they're they're hyping this up, they always come back to hold on. Texas has a Georgia problem. I I feel more confident that until you beat Georgia, it it's it's Georgia. It's Georgia's path. Right. It's kinda like Georgia and Alabama. It's like you hate saying this out of your mouth, but it's like until Georgia beats Alabama in the regular season consistently, it is gonna be a circled game on the map. Do I think Alabama is gonna be statistically and on paper not as good as they've been in the past and this is gonna be another continued year of digress? Yeah, I do. but still, when it comes down to Georgia, Alabama, everybody is freakishly nervous about just going And being very confident, especially going into Tuscaloosa, that Georgia's gonna beat Alabama because of the same reason. Until you do it and do it consistently and not do it in the postseason in the regular season, we're just gonna have a hard time picking Georgia over Alabama in the in the regular season. But Lane Kiffen, Texas was was was a name that was talked about, but the darling of everything and everybody every everybody wanted to hear Lane Kiffin and You know, one of the hottest questions that was asked was, you know, talking about his take on recruiting when he was at Ole Miss and SEC Mike from SEC that SEC podcast asked him a tough question about an interview that he had and he ducked and dodged it and went into, you know, conversation about, you know, who knows what. And he talked about his dad a little bit. you know, he talked about Nick Sabin a little bit. He talked about he referred to you know, storylines that he, you know, he watched growing up. and when you look at all these things, he really ducked and dodged the fact that he missed out on having to be accountable to any questions. He almost spoke for like 15 minutes of like intro stuff, right? Barely any questions came his way. Hulk Hogan is what he referred to. He said he Said he thought the Hulk Hogan would never die, right? and it made him start to think, and then he kind of went into this is the reason why I took the job at LSU, but he ducked the question as far as why he felt like it was not it was not easy to recruit in Oxford and a lot of stuff that he said he regretted, things of that nature. But here's my thing around Lane Kiffin, right? Here's my thing. Lane Kiffen has some people have equivalent to 50 plus million dollar roster with coaches and what they're paying out in certain areas, it could get up to it could get up higher than that, right? it could get into 70, 80, 90 million dollars. But Lane Kiffin spends upwards of 70, 80, 90 million dollars on a roster. He goes out and he gets these questions about. How good he thinks he'll he'll be how good he thinks he'll be this year. questions about the team, this and that, and the other. And he continues this narrative about you guys expect me to just be able to go out and win at LSU. Like first year. Okay. Well, why can't you? Like, why can't you? You you've you're known as the Portal King and you you like living up to that name. You like talking about how you like living up to that name. And you've you've gone on the portal and you've nabbed Everything, if it was sitting on the shelf, you were you were going after it, including going, you know, going into Tennessee and nabbing Sam Levitt. I mean, I think t I think I think Sam Levitt at Tennessee was a done deal. And you went in and you, you know, you you put your price up, met him in the in the you know, apparently met him headed him off in the airport and all these things, and next thing you know, Sam Levitt is a tiger, right? But like how are you sitting there with a fifty million dollar Upwards of plus when you have the coach's eighty, ninety million dollar roster. And y you say things like you you can't just expect this to come out and win. It's gonna take time. And then I mean, forty thousand dollars of booster funds go on go as far as you just kind of send that bill out to the boosters for your vacation for your family, right? Here's my thing, man. You're you're allowed I mean, let me sidebar this. I I I respect Lane Kiffin. As a really fantastic play caller and a really good scheme-minded coach, right? When we start to get into ethics and we start to get into culture, when we start to get into the logistics and the the mentorship as far as being a coach in college football, this guy's terrible, man. Like, he's basically putting it out there. And and he'll tell it to you as as quick as the sun comes up, he'll say, You either do it or you get behind the the eight ball and you're the next one fired. Okay. If you want to sell your soul to the devil and and go and win national championships and that makes you feel better how you sleep at night, so be it. But I can tell you that I know what some people will say though, look look at look at look Georgia. You got a forty million dollar roster, you're right. But retention was what Georgia did a really great job at this year. They went into their roster. And I and whether it's spent here or spent there, I get it. But it continues to It continues to tell you the story behind Kirby Smart wanting people to be bought into the tradition of being a Georgia Bulldog, right? Athens, Sanford Stadium, the camaraderie of being a dog, right? Vince Dooley, Ugga, you know, the things that make Georgia who Georgia is. Playing between the hedges, right? Stegman Coliseum. it it it's just it feels different in that. And he's selling that. And when you get in there and you see it, he's wanting to make sure that you know what? I don't want the the stuff to eat at you that will start to tempt you to make you make the wrong decision. So we take care of retention and retain our roster. And we go out there and we try to get what we need. And it might still be a and it and it probably is a forty million dollar roster. But it's it's really different than the LSUs and the old misses. And the South Carolinas and the SEC and you know, the Auburn's and it it's really different, man. It's just different. Even the Indiana's and the Oregons and the Ohio states, it's just different in Athens, man. It's different. So I pride myself on being a Kirby smart, loyal, not just 'cause I'm a dog, but just like just just being a guy that looks at Kirby and goes, Man, he just does it the right way, right? He was super he was super cool to see Kirby doing so many interviews, he seemed loose. a lot of questions. He seems to feel like this team is really he's really excited about the leadership on this team. If you go back and check out the last few episodes, especially last week, two weeks ago, I l I literally covered the entire SEC media day interview with Kirby, broke it down, talked about every single question he had, broke it down and kind of went through some things. And so go check that out. I think it was the last episode we posted, so. before we hop in, thank you so much for the support. I'm excited about this season. As you look at some of the things coming ahead, we got some branding things that are gonna be new. Obviously, TikTok is we are very close. I think we're three followers away from hitting our 3,000 mark over there on TikTok. So if you haven't done so on TikTok, go and like and follow us, Dogs Down South on TikTok. We're so close. Hitting a small milestone of 3,000 followers over there. And a lot of this episode one and two will be clipped here or there. And there'll be a lot of things coming out on TikTok as well as day-to-day. If you're looking for day-to-day stuff from Dogs Down South, TikTok is your place to be, okay? when we go live, obviously YouTube, Dogs Down South, Facebook, Dogs Down South. if you're following us on any other platform, YouTube, I think I mentioned this already, but YouTube's blowing up. Appreciate all the likes and follows over there. Then obviously Spotify and Apple Podcasts, make sure that you go follow us over there. If you happen to miss it and are looking for it twenty four hours later, you can go grab the episode, listen to it on your way into work or on your way home from work. So, but let's dive in. obviously, so much to go over. Like I said, this is probably gonna be a two part, but we're definitely gonna hit the first part tonight. We're gonna dive in, see how much we can get accomplished. And really talk some hot takes and talk you know, I I think once we get through this, we'll have a really good emphasis and and a good per se database of like what we're looking for for this season as camp starts and as we start to see numbers and and players running around and things of that nature. it'll give us a real big glimpse and it'll challenge us to really think outside of the box of who are gonna be some of the playmakers we can we can rely on. who we're looking at and we're gonna we're gonna see really quick in those first week or two, probably by scrimmage two is when we really start to hone in on who's gonna be getting most of the snaps and who's gonna be as far as early on players to see some some quality time. You're probably gonna see that start to really come to life by about scrimmage two. But it's exciting, man. It's exciting. I mean the fall fall candles were on sale at Bath Body Works last week. So many indications that we're right around the corner from college football starting. So let's hop in real quick, okay? Hot take number one. I I have things that are outrageous on some of these, but could happen. And I want to talk about a little bit of them. Like I said, we're gonna take our time. We could do a segment one and segment two. We're gonna take our time with each one of these, okay? So hot take number one. Georgia goes 12 and 0, and still doesn't finish number one in the final regular season rankings. Now, it's very possible. It's very, very possible. I I'll give you one example why there's some schools out there that are that are called Notre Dame that continue to get this puppy treatment from the NCAA and the and the playoff committee and they get these new rules set up for them. It's like You know, if you lose two games and I I don't know, you know, you just fall short by three points and you know, you do a leprechaun dance, spin around, clap your hands, you get into the college football playoff. That's our rule for you. I know that's a little a little out there, but it really is. And and I see Notre Dame. Notre Dame has and I they have Miami on their schedule. They have a couple of really good teams on their schedule for the most part I would tell you that it's very high and it's very low. You gotta get a couple games that are gonna stretch you, that are gonna be tough games. Then I feel like you have about ten of those games that are like you should win, right? And when you look at things like people are a lot of people are saying ten and two, ten and two Notre Dame team gets you into the playoff. Pretty sad. I mean, I think ten and two and the SEC get you the playoff. I even think some nine and threes, depending on who you played and beat and who you played and lost. to should get you into the college football playoff. We're a long way from that. But but I do think this this this is this is a very good take because Georgia could. Now I think more so the big thing about this hot take is is can Georgia go 12 and 0? This is a this is a a better schedule than previous years, but you still have, you know, those games you have circled, you have to play Oklahoma early at home. Oklahoma's going to be a really good team this year. You gotta go to Ole Miss in Oxford and play a team that later in the season. And we're gonna really see what Pete Golding and this team is about. And we'll see if they've hit their stride and are firing on all four cylinders. or they're they've they've hit some bumps in the road, and maybe that's a time where it's a good time to catch But either way, it's Ole Miss is Trinidad Chandler's and Kewan Lacey and it's still a really good defense. and Pete Golding and a staff that is decently well put together. still from the last two years, three years, that you gotta go play them on the road. So that's another game that's really tough. Obviously you add Alabama in Tuscaloosa as well. so that's a that's a third one there. And, you know, you can't overlook games like, you know, you're going to South Carolina. South Carolina could be the Jekyll and Hyde this year. They could either be really good or they could be really bad. And I I I could see some I could see some storylines where they could be really good. I I don't have them being exceptionally great this year. If you go and catch my breakdown on SEC summer preview, I I my my upside for them is really high. I mean, I like Lenora's sellers, I like some of the things that South Carolina's gonna have the opportunity to do. But you gotta go to William Bryce, man, and it's late in the year. And if and if they're going and they're hot and they have it going and they're and they're injury free, I I mean I I think everybody will s you know will say it like this. You know, if you're hot at the end of the year, if you're hot and if you are healthy, that's a good place to be in the playoffs towards the end of the year and for conference championships. You gotta be hot and gotta be healthy. hot take number two, Kirby Smart wins another SEC championship before winning another national championship. Now, for dog fans this is a tough topic because This is something that if you had to if you ask them, you know, obviously like which one do you prefer? A lot of people are gonna say, you know, I prefer the national championship. I I think this team has a really great opportunity to do some damage this year, barring they stay healthy and barring some things go their way as far as some of these newcomers transfers and some of these these younger guys stepping up and performing like we know they can, but like but do they, right? So That's kind of my take on that. but if I had to answer that hot take, I do think Kirby Smart If I tell you what he has a better opportunity of doing this year, I think it's there's a lot of focus on winning it all this year. I think they have the makeup to do it. But I think he values both. You're never going to hear Kirby Smart not value the SEC championship until you give him reason not to value it, right? Until you look at him and go, it doesn't, it doesn't make any like it doesn't move the pendulum left or right. We don't value it. We don't even play it. We just name one and if it's a tie, we have these tiebreaker things and so be it. I don't think you'll have Kirby really gung ho about something if you don't have it on paper that it's important. and I could be wrong. But I do think that my take on that is is that he's really he's really gonna be dialed in, especially with the last two years having the early exit out of the playoffs. number three, Georgia finishes with the nation's number one defense again. Even if the offense gets most of the headlines. Now, this is a really this was a really good one. And also I want you to know that this is a lot of this is a compilation of questions from email, from people that have asked me questions that were great. I I I I kind of go around sometimes and I ask people, give me some, give me some hot takes, man. also reading some of the sports writers out there that are that have these hot takes thrown out there. I I think that Georgia's defense is going to be very good this year. I think they're going to be very, very good. Barn, they can stay healthy. I think this could be a defense that could be very similar to the national championship years. I've always said it that those defenses, those years, really gave the opportunity for, in my opinion, and what, and let's just be honest, it was very similar to to the likings of a lot of sports writers when they were writing about Stetson Bennett. I feel like people are writing the same thing about Gunnar Stockton. They're gritty. They're they're very they're very in tune and and they they definitely are a person that you look at and they're leading this this football team. they're likable. They're they're somebody that this team depends on. they can flash at times, whether it's with their legs or their arms. These all these things sound like stats a minute. They do to me as well. So this has the makeup and the feel of that. of some of those teams, right? Especially with the defense. And the question is, is, is, is the defense going to be better or is the offense going to or is it going to be that the defense doesn't get exposed as much because the offense is is much improved? I'm going to lean towards this defense is going to be much better this year. but the offense I think has a chance to be sneaky good. Do I think the offense has is going to is going to have a lot of That demeanor of we're gonna we're gonna line up and we're gonna run the football. I think Georgia has an incredible offensive line and I think they're gonna try to run the football. side note, you know, obviously Dante Daldell is really don't know what's going on with him for the future. We wish him well. we mentioned the in the injury to him on the last episode, but praying for Dante. Hope he continues to get better. And the goal is r is right, is health over football. And so we hope he makes a a big recovery from all this. And you know, if it is if if it's God's will for him to be back this year, great. obviously we went out and got Dante Daldo because we thought he would be a huge asset to the running back room. I don't think that changes a lot about who the one and the two was gonna be or even who was gonna be taking some of those, I would call it. kind of snaps in the backfield on third down, that Cash took, and that that's gonna be, you know, Dwight. So Dwight Phillips. So yeah, I mean, I think this offense could be, but I would I would lean more towards the defense being really good this year and just given the opportunity for the offense to play loose and to be more I mean when you have a defense that's controlling the game and you can control the run and the clock, it really causes fits for football teams, especially if you're a passing team. number three, I'm sorry, four. One freshman becomes a household name before Halloween. I love this. I love this, you know, before October. And I would, I would honestly say, yes, like I like this. The biggest you know, one freshman becomes a household name before Halloween. man, it makes you wonder and it makes you start to think like obviously, you know, who is this? Household name is, you know, is is tough, but the two people I the the one person I think about in here is is Zike is Zike Heltson. Okay. He's going to probably more than likely start at right guard. I think he will be a person talked about. He has come in and he has done an incredible job. He has turned some heads. He's a young kid, but he has taken on camp and spring, and his preparedness has been taken on like he's a junior in college. Like he's trying to get a spot on an NFL team. And that's just something you don't see anymore. do I also like the name Caden Pro Throw and how they're gonna try to get him into some situations to get him some touches? Yes, I like Caden Pro Throw. Do I think it'll be a household name? We'll see. they're definitely gonna have to get very they're gonna have to get very not tricky, but creative and how they get him the ball and what situations and how they line him up, things of that nature. But That's another one that could be on that list. But I think the the the easy answer to that is is Helton on that on that right side of the line, or just at the guard spot, is is definitely gonna be a really good possibility, kind of like Juan Gaston to see some major snaps this year for Georgia. Biggest offensive star that isn't quarterback. I'd take number five. biggest offensive star. that isn't the quarterback this year is very easy. I I think this is gonna be a year for Nate Frazier. I know he will share some snaps with Chauncey, but when you look at Nate, when you look at his makeup and when you look at he has been the premier back, but you also look at the fact that every single year, I feel like there's one or two injuries, whether it's coming off the previous year, or during the regular season of the year that that keeps him from just being that stable horseback because you know this is an offense that prides themselves on being able to line up, tell you they're running the football and run the football, right? are will explosives in the passing game open up more run? Yes. Now that is why I'm saying that I think Nate Frazier could be the biggest offensive star that's not quarterback. Because if if Gunner can and create some explosives this year and we can stretch the field and we can do some things that get chunk plays, twenty, thirty, forty yards, and we throw that ball better and we we get creative and get some of our our our speedy wide receivers and we get creative with with Dwight and things of that nature, it will open up the run more and give them opportunities that if if you give five, Nate Frazier can turn five into fifty five really quick. So that's why I think If they with the passing game more improved and I think Gunner being in year two if you're counting total, but you know, year two and a half, three almost when you're counting being a vital part of one snap away from being in that football game and was in the Sugar Bowl two years ago versus another dame. I I think you can look and go, if this can happen, it really makes the defense look at our our offense a lot different. We look less like a run first team and more like a hey, what's coming at us right now? 'Cause we don't really know. Couple of extra things I'll throw in there. here's a hot take. Gunnar Stockton has 30 touchdowns combined. 30 touchdowns combined. Now, let me tell you why I think that that's a pretty good take. last year, Gunnar Stockton had combined 24 total touchdowns last year, five INTs, 20 2,894 yards, and it had a completion percentage of almost 70%, right? So you're looking to find six more touchdowns out there. And these are combined, right? I do think that Gunner has a really good shot to hit that number. I do. Because I'm once again betting on that we will be better at explosives. I think if the run game can do its job and it will open up the play action game, I think we can stretch the field more next year. We won't have to just sit back there and rely on, you know, receivers running great routes. And hey, You know, we know it's a run it's a r it's it's a run or a pass down. I think we're gonna be a little bit more complicated in some of those areas. I just do. Even though the big question is the wide receiver room. The wide receiver room. But I think we're gonna be a little less unpredictable in that area. And that's gonna help Gunner. And I think that does. I mean, I I I I love that take. I think that take is is spot on. I think I I personally think Gunner can have thirty touchdowns combined. I'm talking pass, I'm talking running, you know, all all the above. second hot take, that's kind of an extra on my list. Nate Frazier and Chauncey Bowens have 2,000 yards combined. my answer is yes. I think this is totally doable. I think Georgia is going to line up and they are going to want to run the football and stop the run. I think that they're not going to get away from the goals of 25 and 26 because they did see a team that went that was the defense was much improved. over the year before, right? Was much improved. I think we stopped the run at a higher level. I think we I think we allowed some things to happen that shouldn't have. I think we we didn't get a lot of great pressure again. We didn't we didn't create havoc and we allowed the quarterback to have too much time. And when you combine that with a really great tackling defense and a really disciplined defense, if you can add those things to it, it makes this team much more, much more explosive and it it makes them it gets them off the field much quicker, right? We don't want to see these. sustained drives of 10, 15, 20 play drives like we saw against Ole Miss at sometimes. We we want to see this team, you know, causing havoc and creating explosive plays on defense and getting off the field, which will give the opportunity for the offense to to do the same. I do think that Chauncey and Nate have an opportunity to to grind out a lot of yards this year. So my answer on this take is yes. I think both these guys can combine I think Nate Frazier can have a really, really solid year. I think when you look at Dante Daldell and you look at how maybe this would stretch to like a like a three deep, and I know Dwight's gonna get the ball as far as in some of those cash settings. But I do think Nate's gonna be able to touch the ball enough to where he's gonna have the opportunity, and I think Chauncey will too. Big thing you have to wonder is is there gonna be some big plays in there, right? Does one carry add up to 50 and 60 yards? And if you have that, then it's much easier to come across that number. Right. here's another one. Georgia leads the SEC in sacks. Now, I want to agree with this one. I want to agree with this one wholeheartedly. could Georgia lead the SEC in sacks? I would tell you that this is gonna be a hard one. And if I was calling it right now, I would say no, because there's been no proof in the pudding, as my mom used to say, that that's gonna happen. I I think Georgia has a really statistically good chance for this defense to cause more havoc and to and to make have more quarterback hurries and to have more sacks this year, but there's some really good defenses in the SCC this year. I mean, I like Oklahoma, I like their defense a lot, I like Ole Miss, I like their defense a lot, I like Alabama, I like their defense a lot at Alabama. I even I even really like LSU lot. a lot to be said there. Those are four teams in Texas as well. Those are five teams that are gonna have really good defenses, in my opinion. So it's a hefty goal to say that they're gonna lead in sacks, but I would definitely say that it's gonna be a vast improvement from the past. And vast improvement means this team as a whole on defense goes much higher as far as statistical value of being one of the best defenses, not only in the SEC, but in college football. Next hot take, Mike Bobo wins the Broyles Award. This one's gonna be a touchy one for a lot of people because it's like there's no like in their mind, they're like, there's no way, right? But with all the questions coming in, right? This is a team that's built for a playoff run in a national championship. And so that's one of the big questions roaming around. And, you know, you have a lot of of young guys, but also mixed with a lot of returning starters. Is this the team that's built To last to be able to survive and to make it because you gotta be healthy and you gotta be hot. Okay, you gotta be healthy and you gotta be hot. So do you have the makeup to be able to survive and get that far and be able to cause some problems? and is Mike Bobo a part of it? I think a lot of people. are slowly but surely every once in a while in the off season kind of writing a letter or throwing a text message or a sidebar comment to be like, Look, if you don't want Mike Bobo, I'll take him, you know? Or how much is it going to cost to interview Mike Bobo? there's a lot of coaches that might want to interview Mike Bobo, right? Mike Bobo this year got a raise. He'll be making him and Glenn Schumann will be making almost the exact month same money. it's very competitive. It's very up there with what most of the OCs are making right now. I I do think that Georgia may not have the best offensive coordinator out there. A lot of people argue themselves for their offensive coordinator. But I do think they have the right offensive coordinator for Georgia. Okay. And I've been a part of this Debbie Downer scene and, you know, I I've been a part of the Mike Bobo, you know, draw on second and ten or Run it right up the middle or You know, no continuity in plays and play calling and screen passes and bubble bubble screens and it's like thinks that just people just don't like watching that. Right. They y you turn on like San Diego State and U C L A at like ten thirty at night and you see the ball flying all over the park and you know, you got these cre incredible catches and you got these wide open holes and You got these real elusive, elaborate plays and remind you, you're you're not playing in the SEC and you know, you're you're you're watching West Coast games that, you know, if I had to go out there and and really tell you who I respect out there, I mean I'm I'm obviously looking at Oregon and we're talking completely out west, right? I'm obviously looking at Oregon. you know, I I can't say you don't like USC. You know, you gotta you gotta think USC would be in that mix and then if you're depends on how close to that you are, I mean you can stretch out and look at Utah and some of those teams, but I I I don't think you know, I realistically do not think that anyone would not look at Mike Bobo and go, you know, man, I'd have Mike Bobo. I mean, he's he's continuously gotten better. I mean, you look at Mike Bobo versus Steve Sarkeesian, do that math for me, right? Do that math as a play caller. I might do it exactly I might honestly might do it while we're continuing to go through this stuff. But do I think Mike Bobo can I think it's set up for him to do that. I think it's set up to go, okay, everybody said you had these young receivers. Everybody said that You had to be creative and Georgia lost too much at the receiver rankings. They're going to be running the football a lot this year and relying on the defense. Imagine if Gunnar Stockton came out and was just slinging the ball around the field. And a lot of dog fans are going to be like, Yeah, when whenever you see that, you let me know. Okay, you're a delusional. Okay, you're out of your mind. You're obviously not a Georgia fan. But why wouldn't you think that? Gunnar's a competitor. I mean, if Gunnar Stockton If I was going into a war, man, Gunnar Stockton would definitely be on my list. He's a warrior, he's a battler. Like he's going to pull through for you. he might not win all, but he's also not gonna be on the one of the ones standing on the sideline making excuses about why they did, right? His hand will be held his head will be held high and he will go out there and perform and he will not think twice about the fact of giving maximum effort to win. And so for that reason, that combination of running the football, getting creative with the receivers, and trusting in Gunner to create some more explosive plays, I do think this is a pretty good take. I think you could see the the Royals ward come straight over to Bobo. I really do. couple other ones. We're gonna do five, six, seven, eight, nine, and ten. And then we'll call it a night. that's for part one. Five. Sokovi White Helton is an undercover Zach brand. Now, a lot of people don't know much about Sokovi White Helton. A lot of people think that Sokovi's been there forever. He really hasn't. He was a person that came in with a lot of promise and a lot of really good, you know, God given speed. probably, in my opinion, was behind a little bit in development because of just learning the playbook, man. Just learning the playbook. Figuring out where you fit in, you play in the slot, where do you play? Like what do you you know, you gotta find your niche in the wide receiver room. You really do. but I think this kid can be really, really good. Like I like I really do. I think, you know, will it be you can't equivalate anything to Brock Bowers and you can look at statistics and see what he did here and how he went about doing his business and go, you know, if you model this, you know, this will be This will be a really great thing, you know, it and if you look at players like Zach Branch and Brock Bowers, you know, combined, we got them the ball in such similar ways, but also in such different ways. So, you know, is he a guy that's gonna step in and can you can you kind of just go, hey, like we're we're not changing anything in this area, but we're putting you in this area and you're basically gonna be. Zach Branch Jr. And does he have that makeup and is he able to step in? Is he able to do that? And the answer to that is I don't think anybody can be Zach Branch Branch. I think he's very elusive. I think he's an incredible route runner. I think he has great hands. And I think he has great smarts about him. I think that's what's going to get him some early playing time in Atlanta. So no, I don't think you can be just like Zach Branch. However, I think Sakovi White Hilton has has some untapped ability that we're going to see this year. I think he's gonna turn some heads. I think he's gonna make some good plays. I think he's gonna do some great things for Georgia football. And I really feel feel good about this kid. Not because if you don't have a good feeling about it, there's not a good feeling at all. It's because realistically, I think when you look at the makeup of who he is and what he thinks this program and how hard he works, I just really feel like he's set up for success as far as to make a difference on this team. so for me, I I could probably I'd probably say, yeah, he could be an undercover Zach Branch. He could be better if he wanted to. I think some of the things Zach Branch were missing were just natural ability and natural route running. I think you know when you look at the problem of, you know, when you put him in the slot, sometimes when that translates from when you're running s you know, la when you're running routes in the slot, when you're running other routes on offense. You know, there's there's basically only two or three different ways they're gonna try to get you the ball, including the screen pass. And when you can focus more about how focus focus more on about how you can create and not about how you're coming across the middle worrying about getting tore up, you get a little bit more confident about how you can go out there and create, make things happen. I think that fits right into Sokovy Helton, Sokovi White Helton's DNA. So I would tell you I do think he can be an undercover Zach range. I think he can fit into a role very similar. Will he? I don't know. On paper, I think he's close. physically, mentally, that we haven't seen all these guys going at it in full pads and spring pack practices right around the corner. I mean, who knows? Who really knows? next one Caden Prothrow, Lawson Lucky, Williams, that's Elias Williams, Jaden Riddell, Ethan Barber are the wide receiver bailouts. I 110% agree with this. Now, I still think the wide receivers have to perform, but I think you are talking about one of the best, if not the best, tight end rooms in all of college football. Help. Some it probably better than some NFL teams. Okay. I think you're gonna see Lawson Lucky take a huge step in the right direction. I still have a lot of potential for Ethan Barbour before he got injured last year. He was gonna be a key piece in this offense. I think he still has the opportunity to be a key piece. Easily. Easily. obviously when you look at Caden Pro Throw and you look at Elias Williams and what they bring to the table. When you look at Elias, you obviously he brings that six five, six six frame, the athleticism on top of it that gives him that hybrid, crazy tight end look. you know, very similar to the tight ends of the past with us. And Darnell Washington was a freak of nature. I don't think he's got as much as much meat on his bones as Darnell, but Think he can do some freakish things and he can he can give us a lot of help in the red zone areas. and I just think I think Elias Williams has the opportunity to have a breakout year. But I also don't want to count out Ethan Barbour. Like we said earlier, he was starting for Georgia before he knocked everything out. So you hope for the best road to recovery and you hope to see him back before, I don't know, SEC playoff time. but man, I I I would just say when you look at Barbora, you know, and you you hope he gets back in there and you hope he you hope he gets he's healthy and you hope you see him where he was, you know, pre injury. and then obviously Jaden Riddell, I mean, he turned he turned heads at spring. I mean, huge head turner as far as some of the athleticism, some of the plays, some of the some of the targets that he got. And, you know, if that momentum keeps up, you wonder about that because you've seen some players kind of go off during the spring. And they kind of become that, you know, background piece. You don't hear much about the rest of the time. I for one don't think I I would love for that to not be true. I would love for Jaden Riddle to see some meaningful snaps. He's very athletic, he has great hands, he he knows football and he's gonna help us out tremendously. And we haven't really even scratched the surface, in my opinion, of some of the wide receivers to kind of look at and go, where's the bailout needed? Well If if you're producing, then it's a room that's gonna be full of people that are just producing together and winning together and not having to go out there and and and drop 150 every single night for us to have the opportunity to win. couple more. Georgia convincing this is the rough one right here. Georgia convincingly takes care of Alabama this year. Now, everybody's looking at this going, who in their right mind would make that call? Okay. I think they do. I think Georgia goes out there this year and you know, do I think that you know Keelan Russell and and Alabama's defense and Ryan Williams, excuse me if I didn't call his his his rename or what he added to his name, but I think Alabama's gonna have a hard time running the football again. I really do. You you gotta be balanced in the SEC. And it's been a it was a thorn in their side last year. And I just haven't seen enough to make me believe that the offensive line is gonna be able to help them produce a run game this year. Neither with Ryan Grubb. If he couldn't find it last year, I definitely don't think he has the opportunity to find it this year. It will be interesting. You can find it at the quarterback position to be able to offset some of that from the halfback position, so be it. But a lot of that will hinge off of how good the quarterback plays. and I think this line's gonna struggle. I think it's they're gonna struggle to run the football. I think it's gonna create problems for Alabama. I think Georgia convincingly takes care of Alabama this year. So that's just me. Oklahoma is the toughest game on the schedule for Georgia, is my number eight. And yeah, I think, I think you do have Ole Miss. You have Alabama, you obviously have what we just talked about, the statistical value of Georgia having a problem beating Alabama in the regular season, as well as Ole Miss, as well as a tough game with with Georgia, Florida being played in Atlanta. And then let us not forget the fact that Georgia plays on the road against Alabama, on the road against Ole Miss, but I still do think Oklahoma is gonna have a really good team this year. On paper, best Oklahoma team they've ever had. Let's let me let me let me backtrack. Not ever had But in the Brett Venable error is the best football team he's fielded. Obviously, with Nagy running the NIL and bringing some extra coaches in, I think this is a team that's that's poised for a deep run with in Oklahoma. They're gonna be tough the beginning of the year, regardless of if if it's in Athens or not. Georgia's O line wins the Joe Moore award. Yes. I think Georgia absolutely has the opportunity offensive line to win that award. I think this could be one of the best offensive lines in college football. Is it and what's what is making me think that's real is the fact that Ernest Green is the healthy the is the healthiest he's been, the additions of Juan Gaston being in his second year, the development and the healthy the development of Zike Helton, the healthiness of of Drew Bobo, who was not in that semifinal game last year along with Gabe Harris, I just think this this line is really, really good and they're returning some really great depth on the offensive line. And I think it has the opportunity to not only win the Joe Moore Award, but be an incredible piece of the puzzle on why this Georgia team possibly comes back at the end the year and and wins the national championship. And then last but not least, Gabe Harris is comeback player of the year, anchors this D line. Yes. Yes. Triple yes. I think that Gabe Harris is going to be a force this year. I like what Gabe Harris did last year. I think that that game last year against Ole Miss is a different game. Not only if if Gabe Harris importantly, but also Drew Bobo is in that game. I think that game is a different game from last year. So that's a wrap for part one of of our kind of our Georgia SEC hot takes and kind of preview of Georgia football. we're gonna finish it out on next time with players nobody's talking about, as well as the discussion on who's this year's on part one and two, who's this year's, and I'm not gonna give those away. And then talk about Georgia's biggest strengths and what could what could look be looked at as some of their biggest weaknesses. and then even getting into a little bit of a buy sell. So this maybe this gets into like a round three. I don't know. But and then a rapid fire. So a lot a lot to accomplish more in these in these next two or three segments on the on preview and hot takes of Georgia before we enter into camp next week. but we are gonna try to get them all in and it is it's go time. So you're gonna see us live more on our YouTube page, Facebook pages, and then as well as TikTok. A lot of things coming your way on TikTok as well as Apple Podcasts. and Spotify. So if you haven't already done so, please go and like and follow us on all those platforms. That'll do it for tonight. count on the days 36, but guess what? We get into camp very soon next week. Don't know the exact date yet. you'll know as soon as we do and as we get involved in that we will start covering pretty much every single day of camp. And that will lead us all the way up to Game one between the hedges against Tennessee Texas. You guys have a great evening, a great weekend. As always on Dogs Down South, go Dogs.