The biggest and most recent news to come out of Athens is that quarterback Matthew Stafford and tailback Knowshon Moreno have announced their intentions to leave college early and enter the NFL Draft. The departure of the two had been speculated on since the beginning of the season and both Stafford and Moreno showed that speculation to be founded by having outstanding 2008 seasons. Stafford led the SEC in passing with 3,459 yards and set a Bulldog single-season record with 25 touchdown passes. Moreno led the conference in rushing with 1,400 yards.
What does their absence mean for Georgia next year? The Bulldogs were hoping to play better in ’09 and without Stafford and Moreno they will have to in order to match this season’s 10-3 record. The talent that have Stafford and Moreno as probable first-round draft picks in the upcoming NFL Draft also helped a Georgia team that was not hitting on all cylinders. Stafford showcased his arm strength and playmaking abilities by throwing two late touchdown passes to beat Kentucky and Auburn in the closing minutes, among other moments, and Moreno danced around the ups and downs of an injured and inexperienced offensive line all year long.
In terms of replacing them, Stafford may be easier to replace, as probable starter Joe Cox will be a fifth-year senior. Had the former top-10 recruit Cox competed with anyone other than a talent like Stafford as a freshman, he may have been the Bulldogs starting quarterback the last couple of years. In his freshman year, when he lost the competition for the starting job, he completed 60 percent of his passes, which included a 10-for-13, two-touchdown performance in a come-from-behind win over Colorado. This season in mop-up duty he completed 73 percent of his passes and threw the Bulldogs’ lone touchdown against Florida.
Replacing Moreno might go smoothly, and then again it might not. A lot of it will depend on the maturation of the offensive line. The good news about the injuries along the line this season is that Georgia now has many players with game experience. Now, a solid, injury-free group has to emerge for next year. The most important person that will be returning is the group’s coach, Stacy Searels. Searels coached the group well enough that they did not get embarrassed, but without Moreno, they will have to be more dominating. Caleb King and Richard Samuel are impressive runners, but they are of a different style than the make-you-miss Moreno, who turned sure losses into positive gains. Also, redshirt freshmen Dontavious Jackson and Carlton Thomas will figure into the mix.
HOOPS NOTES
While the football team is looking towards life without Stafford and Moreno, the basketball team is staring at SEC play. After losing at Georgia Tech 67-62 this past Tuesday, the Bulldogs open SEC play Saturday when they host Tennessee. Georgia (9-6) is on a two-game losing streak, as they dropped their previous game to Missouri 83-76. On the road against Tech, the Bulldogs were up by 13 in the second half, and the Missouri game was a see-saw affair for the majority of the contest. The SEC is down this year and Georgia will not host too many teams in the league, Tennessee included, that are significantly better than Missouri, and will not often have to play in environments comparable to the Tech game. The Bulldogs should be in most games in league play; whether they win their share will depend on them solving two big bugaboos: Turnovers and rebounding. Georgia has 41 turnovers in its last two games and was outrebounded by the Yellow Jackets 50-35.
Butler can be reached at jbutler@scoreatl.com.
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