So, I'm not sure where we are. I can honestly say that Saturday was the least excited I've ever been for an SEC victory, especially a road one. Not that I wasn't pleased with the way we played. It really didn't matter to me. Win ugly, win big, win the way we did, which was workman-like. Just win, get to 2-2 and prove it to me this week. That's kind of where I'm at. I WANT to be excited and play in games that matter. Saturday will go a long way in starting that. Win that one, and the next one, and the next one…and that next one will really, really matter. Drop one of these, and it doesn't matter quite as much.
Still, I'm excited we're in a different spot. I thought we'd get better as the season went on last year. I was wrong. We got progressively worse. This year, I think we've gotten better every week, and I like what that means moving forward. I think we're better than we think we are and better than most people are. But, it's put up or shut up time. Fact is, we knew 2 weeks ago that we'd be 2-2 right now. It's a good looking 2-2, with the colossal whooping we put on Coastal and the solid win in Oxford. That win looked like old school Richt. I'm hoping for some old school Richt this week and the next.
The next 2 weeks are humongous for Aaron Murray. I like Aaron. I think he's probably the best QB in the league. It's time to prove it. He needs to shine. I thought he was pretty sharp on Saturday. He needs to be sharper the next 2 weeks. He needs to play great in front of the home fans, then go on the road on TV and look like a stud.
I want to be pumped again. I'm getting there. I'm excited about what I think I'm going to see on Saturday. But I just don't know. I've been excited a couple times in the last 2 years, only to get crushed. I think I'm protecting myself. I want to let it all hang out again. I want to believe that we can do something that most say we can't. I want to see something different from this team than what we've seen the last 2 years. I do know that we went to Mississippi a year ago at 1-2 and our season turned into a dumpster fire. This time, we went to Mississippi 1-2 and we looked like we knew what we were doing. We looked in control. Our fans now need to see a performance for the ages. We need to look good between the Hedges in a game that means something and that we need. This game really matters, and we need to look like we think it matters. I'm cautiously optimistic.
And I'm starting to like our defense. I think they might be pretty fun to watch when everyone gets healthy and, shhhh, they might be awesome next year. There's 2 seniors on that defense and not any underclassment likely to turn pro…Don't tell anybody. It's so crazily (yes, I made that a word) frustrating. I want Richt to do it not only because I like him, but I think we've really got a shot to start building something again. I think we're starting to see CTG knows what he's doing. We are in position and flying around on D, and we return those guys. Our best players on offense are Crowell, Mitchell, and Murray, 2 freshmen and a sophomore. We don't have a single senior at a skill position that matters, except Figgins at FB, and I think Zander's going to be okay there. And if Richt can turn the tide, we're going to sign Keith Marshall and have a lethal 1-2 punch at tailback for 2 years, which will be Aaron's junior and senior years. So, I'm starting to see rays. But I need to see wins. I need to see a team that looks like those early 2000's teams the next 2 weeks and takes care of business and comes out ready to play 2 weeks in a row. There are no more moral victories. We need wins. Then, let's go win an ugly one 19-15 in Nashville and get rested for the stretch run.
Is it possible? I don't know. But I do know that if Chris Relf runs for 143 yards against us on Saturday, I'm liable to kill someone.
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