Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Bulldog WRs' stock rising

Obviously, the 2011 season has yet to begin, so we're not going to act like anything has been accomplished yet. Further, we don't want to pretend that talk and glowing comments about Georgia's WR corps are anything more than that. However, it's encouraging to know that a couple of guys have been singled out for their performances and effort thus far.

At SEC Media Days, the talk was about Malcolm Mitchell, the highly touted (how many times have you heard that phrase lately?) incoming freshman who not only possesses elite quickness and speed, but also an incredible work ethic.

Now, over the past day or two, QB Aaron Murray has been singing the praises of junior WR Marlon Brown, who was likewise highly regarded coming out of high school, and whose 6'5", 220lb. frame and sheer athleticism suggest he has the tools to be great.

And, of course, there's the "old man" of the group, Tavarres King. Don't look now, but TK has put together a very solid first couple of years, and could easily end up eclipsing the 2,000 yd receiving mark by the time he's done.

Nobody is suggesting that losing AJ Green is going to be easy to weather. He was probably the most dynamic and game-changing WR to ever play at Georgia. However, a lot of these younger guys are no slouches in the athletic department, and appear ready and willing to make their own mark.

Bringing up the name Herschel can lead to a lot of emotions for Dawg fans, but just to point out that losing an elite player does not a season ruin...

In Herschel's Heisman campaign of '82, he rushed 355 times for 1,752 yds and 16 TDs, an amazing season to be sure. The year following, though, the Dawgs went 10-1-1, and had their top 3 rushers (the dreaded running back by committee) rush 327 times for 1,383 yds and 16 TDs. Granted, there's a whole lot of other factors and effects to consider with a guy like #34 in the backfield, but from a sheer production standpoint, the dropoff was limited.

So, again, we'll have to wait and see what actually happens on the field throughout the season, but there's at least hope that AJ's departure simply means an open door for others to step through.

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