Latest / Beliefs, Ballots, And BullDawgs / Friday July 31, 2026
Transcript
- Greg: Hey, what's up, everybody? It is Friday afternoon. It is July 31st, last day of the month. And this is Beliefs, Ballots, and Bulldogs. I'm your host, Greg Miller. As we ⁓ as we get ready to head into the weekend today, we're gonna ⁓ we're gonna talk about a couple things. We're gonna we're gonna talk about five players on the UGA roster that may not be names you know now, ⁓ but I think a couple of them may be some names that you will likely know by the end of this year. And and then we're gonna talk about something biblical that I that I find intriguing, and that's Why does the all powerful and all knowing God ask questions that he already knows the answer to? So we've had a we've had a pretty good week so far talking a little ⁓ Georgia football and trying to get ready for the season. We we've talked about whether or not we're still the standard. We've talked about whether or not this offense can generate the kind of explosive plays we need. We've talked about, you know, whether Bite Bobo is is the problem, the scapegoat, or or whether he's just the guy that has to prove it on offense for us this year and show us that there's another gear. We talked yesterday about whether this Georgia defense is is ready to become that elite level Georgia defense again. And today we're gonna talk about something that I that I always find fun rolling into every season. We're gonna talk about guys that I see having as the the potential to be breakout players, not not the obvious names, not the the headline names. We all know Gunnar Stockton, we all know Nate Frazier, Lawson Lucky, KJ Bolden, Ellis Robinson, Raylon Wilson, Elijah Griffin's gonna be a stud. ⁓ none of those guys are going to sneak up on anybody's radar this year. Those are names that every preseason magazine, every national analyst, and and even most casual fans can can point to and recognize. But at Georgia's championship seasons are are usually shaped by more than than the obvious stars. There's always some guys that have to step up. It's they're shaped by that next wave of of elite level Georgia players. The the guys that go from guys who we think he can play to to guys that go, we can't get him off the field. ⁓ the guys who turn true depth into some dominance. And guys who make the position room go from talented to outright scary. So today I'm going to go through ⁓ a handful of names. I got five names that I think some casual dog fans might want to start paying attention to and and get to know them and learn them a little now because you know look not all five of these are are guaranteed to have a major impact. They're certainly not not guaranteed to become stars. ⁓ but I think two or three guys two or three of these guys may pop up this year and And I think if if a couple of these guys pop and become more household recognizable name, then I I think the ceiling for what this team can be changes a little bit. First name I want to talk about is one that I think is going to be crucial to it to our performance this year. And this one matters because it connects to a lot of the issues we've already talked about this week on the on the offense and and the explosive plays. It's a young receiver I I am super high on. I know the coaches are high on. And before we get too far down this road, let me let me tell everybody. I'm not some guy who's trying to pretend like I'm a UGA insider. I went to school there. I'm a diehard fan. I pay for all the message boards. I I know some things, but I ain't nobody special. So anything you're hearing from me is stuff I've heard from somebody else, and I am not trying to pretend otherwise. ⁓ but we know we need a receiver to step up. Sorry, I had to get that in there. ⁓ and and I think Callon Taylor may be that guy. He he is he is as of right now known for one negative play last year, that drop against Alabama, which, ⁓ my God, that was painful. ⁓ but this this guy's a guy I think that that can really be the go to guy on offense. Taylor, Taylor's one of those guys, and and he may not need to be the number one guy immediately. ⁓ he just needs to give the offense something dispar, ⁓ something that we just haven't had in a while. That that true playmaking wide receiver that that's got the ability to create chunk pay chunk plays like like Pickens used to or even Jermaine Burton back in the day. You know, when we talk about needing, you know, the Georgia offense needing to be more explosive. This is this is the kind of guy we're we're talking about. We need receivers who can win the one on one routes. We need receivers who can make contested catches. We need receivers who can turn a simple throw into a into a big game. And we need receivers who make a defensive coordinator a little more nervous about leaving their corners out on an island. And that's where I think a guy like Callan Taylor becomes really interesting. And he he doesn't have to walk in here and be the next AJ Green. He doesn't have to be George Pickens. He doesn't even have to be Ladd McConkie. But if he becomes a reliable playmaker and and if he can earn gunners trust, then I think this guy gives us guy who can create some separation, make some plays downfield, and and then all of a sudden this this offense looks a whole lot different. Those running lanes open up. We don't need 10 superstars receivers. We we just need we just need some answers there. We need some guys to contribute. And Talon Taylor might be one of those answers. The second guy is a guy and and this is a guy you might be familiar with. He's he's shown some flashes, but but it's Chris Cole. Chris Cole is probably the most known player on this list, at least for those of us that are true plugged in Georgia fans. But I still put him on this list because I think there is a massive difference between the the way he's known and the way I think he's capable of breaking out. Cole has a chance to be one of those guys that absolutely changes not just the personality of the linebacker room, but possibly the entire defense. And let's be real, at Georgia, linebacker is not just another position linebacker. Line linebacker is is control and command. Linebacker is violence. Linebacker is also a lot of communicating. Linebacker is getting everybody lined up to fit the run, play the pass, cover the space, blitz when we need to blitz and and play fast without having to think and without being reckless. Look, we know Raylan Wilson is is gonna be a major piece of this defense at linebacker, but But Chris Cole and then also Justin Williams could turn out to be guys that that turned that room from from talented to absolutely terrifying. And yeah, that's what that's what I'm looking for. Can can Chris Cole become one of those tone setters? Can can he become one of those linebackers where by the second quarter the the other team's tired of seeing him or tired of hearing his number called? Can he be the guy who who blows up and erases a screen pass or runs down a quarterback or fills that gap on third down and then and then celebrates like he knew and he expected to be there the whole time? That's that's the the kind of plays we're used to seeing it, Georgia. And look, great Georgia defenses don't just have good linebackers. We have linebackers who who have a presence and and command attention. And Chris Cole absolutely has a chance to be that kind of player. I I think Chris Cole is going to flash a lot this year, and I think that's a name you're gonna hear a good bit of. Third name on my list as we keep rolling is we're gonna get to another receiver. We're gonna go with a true freshman this time. And look it's always scary to to to prop on a true freshman to try to produce early. But I I think Craig Dandridge is a name that that you might hear from this year, even even as a true freshman. He's he's not one of those names that that a lot of casual fans might know about yet. And and that's why I put him on the list. It's like hit this is a guy that, you know, like every year, when camp starts heating up, there's always somebody in the room that that starts getting talked about a little bit more than expected. And you know, sometimes, hey, sometimes it's a true freshman. Maybe it er you know, sometimes it's a young guy behind bigger names. Somebody it's a guy who who maybe made two or three plays in in practice and then suddenly the the coaches start paying attention and he starts getting more run. And I I think that's where a guy like like Craig Dandridge could be could be really interesting this year. He he he may not be a guy who plays plays immediately. He play may not play a lot early, but but young guys and and and I like his size and his athletic ability and he good body control, his route running, just I think he's a complete receiver and I think that makes him a guy worth watching this year. And again, especially on a team that that we know is looking for playmakers on the outside, I think that gives him I think that gives him an opportunity. And and and that's a key word there because you know, we have to be realistic. We don't need a receiver room where everybody, you know, shines out to become a superstar, but we need a couple of guys to step forward. We we need some guys that can win that one on one. We need some guys that, like we said, can stretch the field and and make the D Vs uncomfortable. And you we need somebody that that in those crucial mo crucial moments, Gunner knows he can trust that guy. And Look if if Dandridge has a strong summer camp and and if he flashes early, I I think if he can handle the playbook and and and obviously you gotta be able to block to get on the field in Athens, Georgia. But I think he can compete and I think he could be one of those names that as the season goes on starts getting a little more and more playing time and starts stepping up and making some plays. And I I like Craig Dandridge to to be a name that we get to know and you know, you you may not see him early, like I said, but but keep an eye on him. He he feels like one of those names that that could go from relatively unknown to to pretty interesting in a hurry this year. I I I like Dandre. I like the skill set. I think he's got the potential to be a really key part of this team moving forward on offense. Fourth name is ⁓ is one that just ⁓ just an absolute matchup nightmare. Anybody that follows this team knows that that our tight end room is is out of this world and and and th this guy, even in a loaded tight end room, is gonna be somebody that's I think is almost impossible to to keep off the field. And that that's it's Elias Williams. And look, I'm I'm just gonna say it. This this guy looks like he was designed ⁓ in a video game it it's like somebody forgot to run the the real settings back to down to normal. This is a large human being and he's he's pretty fluid and he moves well. And look we we know what Georgia can do when when when we find a tight end with with some skills and and can be a mismatch. We have we have seen what elite tight end can do and we have seen it become a cheat code in Athens with with Brock Bowers. And look I am in no way trying to even hang the name Brock Bowers out in front of Elias Williams. That that wouldn't be fair to anybody. Brock was just different. And we don't need Ella, we don't need Elias Williams or or any of our tight ends to even try to be Brock Bowers. But but you know, the combination of Elias Williams and Lawson Lucky and Ethan Barbour, those guys are going to step up and be huge this year. I think Elias Williams can can be counted on, and I think he can be valuable in a lot of ways. Obviously, at his at his height, he is an absolute, you know, nightmare for matchups in the red zone. He can be hell on a seam route. play action and and throw it up over the middle. You know, he is, he's just any sort of mismatch situation, he is going to be hard for anybody to cover one on one. Now the question for him is, you know, can he can he be in there in blocking situations? Can he can he stay in the game in in third downs and we go to heavy personnel and goal line? Because that that's what's going to be needed. If he can stay on the on the field for those types of snaps, then that's going to give him a chance to be that red zone nightmare and that red zone mismatch because But when when a quarterback sees, you know, big moments unfolding and and and you can find a big player like that, but big target, middle of the field, reliable hands, just a physical mismatch for anybody he goes up against, it makes for some easy throws to move the change or or or capitalize in the red zone. And and I think that's what Elias Williams could bring to us this year. And if if he becomes, you know, more than just another talented tight end in a room full of talented tight ends. Then I think I I think he can make this offense very hard to defend because, you know, now that that makes defenses having to ask real questions. They they know we want to run the role the run the ball as much as possible, but but if if we stay big, they don't know we're gonna run it or flip it over to him over the middle. That's that's gonna be hard for them to to deal with. And the the fifth player on the n on the list is is a a defensive back, and and that's gonna be a guy by the name of Rashawn Dinkins. And this is this is a guy that's it's ⁓ you know, Kirby's a defensive guy. And I think Rashawn is one of those one of those multi-talented, multi-use chess pieces that that Kirby likes to have on the roster. And you know, Kirby's always looking for D Bs that can do more than one thing. He he wants you to be able to cover. He needs guys who can tackle. He needs guys who can communicate, guys who can play in space and and and have good ball skills. And you need guys who can survive when when offenses start spreading you out and going up tempo and and forcing matchups. You need guys who can do multiple things and I think that's where a guy like Dinkins becomes interesting. He's he's not the biggest headline name in the secondary. We got KJ Bolton and Ellis Robinson and and guys like that that people know. But if if Rashawn can can earn some trust, especially in some sub packages or maybe playing in that star position, then then that just gives us another defensive piece to move around and and be flexible. And in modern college football, that's that's a big deal. That matters a whole lot because ⁓ offenses are always trying to create confusion and isolate defenders and it trying to make you declare your coverage so they know what you're doing. They're trying to get linebackers matched up on receivers and and D B stuck in bad run fits and and and that's you know opening up holes that way. So when you have a defensive back who who can handle multiple jobs, it gives Kirby some options. And Kirby's smart with with options on defense is a dangerous thing for everybody. And so that's what that's why Rashawn's on this list. Not because he's he's not going to lead the team in interceptions most likely. He's not going to become the face of this defense. He may be a guy who who doesn't get caught on a lot, but I I think I I think he's gonna become a trusted piece in the secondary and and I think he's got more flexibility than a lot of people realize. And and that's that's something that Kirby Smart values a lot, and that's gonna help us survive against some of these elite offenses. So th those are the five names that I think we need to be on the lookout. You know, you you may have heard of some of them, you may not, but I think by the end of the year, at least two or three of these five will be a little more well known around the around the college football landscape. Callan Taylor, Chris Cole, Craig Dandridge, Elias Williams, and Rashawn Dinkins. Those are five dogs who who may not be household names yet, but but I think they're all worth watching. And that's that's the fun part of Georgia football. And the fun part of college football as a whole right now. The the stars are already there. We all know the headline names. We all know the players that everybody's gonna be talking about, and all the the national TV pundits are gonna be telling us about. But championship teams are built when that next wave of players arrives a little bit earlier than people expect them to. And That that's what that that's what separates Georgia from from most programs is that young depth and and those guys that people have never heard of, but they've been battling and practice and they're ready to step up. And we have talent behind talent behind talent. And i if that second and third wave start showing up early, then then this team gets very, very dangerous very, very quickly. When the receiver room certain suddenly has some answers, the offense will change. When the linebacker room suddenly has more speed and violence than we have in the past, the defense can change. And with that tight end room adds another complete matchup problem like Elias Williams, that opens up the whole playbook. And the secondary pieces with Rashawn Dinkins, I look, I I I'm excited. That's that's how this roster becomes a championship level roster. It's not just the stars we know, it's depth that learns how to make an impact. It's it's potential becoming production, it's young talent becoming trusted talent. So learn those names now because by October, I think a couple of those guys aren't going to be secrets anymore. And that that's you know, just think about what's What's going to happen? And we're going to look back and say, Yep, Greg told me about that guy. I knew he was coming. You're going to be a step ahead. Go dogs. All right. The the second topic we say we're going to get into today is ⁓ one that I f I find interesting. It's we see several examples in this biblically, but why does God ask questions if he already knows the answer? Think about this. I mean, God asks a lot of questions in the Bible, and that's kind of strange when you stop and think about it because. If if God is all knowing, well, why would He ask us anything? Clearly, He already knows. He knows the beginning from the end. He knows every thought you've ever had. He knows every word you've ever spoken, every decision you ever have made or will make. So why would an all knowing God ask questions? Well, here's my answer God rarely asks questions because he needs the information. He asks the questions because we need transformation. The questions aren't meant to educate him, obviously. They're meant to expose us. And I think that's one of the most beautiful things about the way God deals with us as his children. Think about the world we live in. Everybody has an opinion. Everybody has a platform. Everybody is ready to make a statement. Social media has trained us to have no fear about making declarations. ⁓ we we we stand up and defend our positions all the time. But politics has trained us to be in constant attack mode against our opponents or anybody that disagree. Very few people stop long enough to ask any sort of questions that might reveal something about themselves. Real growth almost always begins with an honest question and an honest revelation, not another loud opinion. And I think sometimes that's that's how God works in us. Go back to the to the all the way back to the very beginning in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve shortly after they had just sinned and eaten the forbidden fruit, for the first time in human history they were hiding from God. And then God asked what is one of the most famous questions in all of Scripture. Genesis 3 9. He asked, Where are you? Now again, let's let's be honest. Did God lose con lose sight of Adam and Eve? Of course not. The God who created the universe wasn't wandering through the garden hoping that Adam or Eve would answer him. He knew exactly where Adam was. So why ask? The question wasn't about Adam's location. It was about Adam's condition. Adam had never hidden from God before, and now he's hiding. Not because God had changed, but because sin had changed Adam. God's question invited Adam to face a reality that he was clearly trying to avoid. And isn't that exactly what sin still does to us? It makes us hide. We hide behind success, we hide behind humor, we hide behind busyness or anger or addiction. We hide behind excuses. We hide behind the image that we have carefully built for everyone else to see. But God doesn't ask where are you? Because he can't find us. He asks because we've stopped being honest to ourselves about where we really are. And he's just trying to help us figure it out. And it's it's not just Adam, that you know, very shortly thereafter, after after Cain kills Abel, God asks, Where is your brother? Clearly, again, God knew, of course he knew. But Cain needed to confront what he had done. When Moses stands before the burning bush, God asks, What is that in your hand? God knows it's a staff, but Moses needed to realize that God could use the ordinary things he already possessed. When Jesus meets blind Bartimaeus, he asks, What do you want me to do for you? Jesus could see the man was blind. He knew what he wanted, so why ask? Because faith is personal. Jesus invited Bartimaeus to express his dependence instead of naturally assuming it. Again and again, God's questions aren't requests for information. They're invitations for us to transform. If God asks you today, Where are you? How would you answer? You're not going to give him your address. You're not going to tell him what town you're in. Where are you in your marriage, in your integrity, in your relationship with your children, in your prayer life, in your thought life, in your walk with Christ? Have you drifted? Have you become distracted? Have you become a little more cynical? Have you grown comfortable? Those aren't easy questions, but they're life-changing questions, because healing almost always begins with honesty. There's something else that I don't want us to miss, and that's after Adam's sin, God could have simply pronounced judgment from heaven. Instead, he came looking. And this should stop us and cause us to think a little bit. The first movement wasn't Adam searching for God, it was God pursuing Adam. Even after the rebellion, even after disobedience, even after shame, God moved towards him. That's grace. That moment in Genesis points us forward all the way to Jesus. From the very beginning, God's heart has been to seek those who are hiding from him. Jesus said he came to seek and save the lost. Think about that. The God who walks through the garden asking Adam, Where are you? is the same God that stepped into human history as Jesus Christ. To find all of us, not because he didn't know where we were, but because we had wandered so far that we couldn't find our way back to him. The cross is God's answers to that question, he asked in Eden. He came looking for us. He made a way home. And that's the gospel in a nutshell. So here's the question I want to carry into the weekend. If if God lovingly asks you today, where are you? Would your first instinct be to hide or to answer him honestly? Remember, God's questions are never meant or designed to embarrass you. They're designed to bring you back closer to Him. He already knows the answer. The question is just to see whether you're ready to admit it or not. So this weekend, look, don't be afraid of God's questions. Lean into them. Sometimes the question that makes us the most uncomfortable becomes the doorway for the greatest freedom. Have a wonderful weekend, guys. Spend time with the people you love, open your Bibles, and talk to God honestly. And as always, please. Get in your Bibles, say your prayers, love one another, and tell the truth. God bless.