Thoughts of the day: September 26, 2022

A few thoughts to jump start your Monday morning:

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” – Laozi

At some point the Florida Gators are going to put it all together and when they do they might be that team nobody wants to play. Through their first four games, they’ve shown they are capable in all phases of the game, but thus far they’ve given two games away (Kentucky and Tennessee) that they could have won and won two games (Utah and South Florida) that they probably should have lost.

The Gators are 2-2 and could be any combination that equals four from 0-4 to 4-0. The two teams the Gators beat are certain they should have won the game. The Gators are certain they should have won the two games they lost including Saturday’s 38-33 loss to Tennessee in Knoxville.

The inconsistency is maddening, yet at the same time telling. The Gators are the only team in the country to play three top ten programs – Utah, 12th now but 7th when the Gators played them, now No. 7 Kentucky and now No. 10 Tennessee. That they are 2-2 playing that schedule with one of the younger rosters in the country says a lot about the coaching. Fans screamed for the two weeks prior to Tennessee that the offense stunk. Then came 33 points and 597 yards against the Vols. Now they’re screaming about the defense which gave up 38 points and 576 yards.

In reality, Napier is systematically solving one problem at a time. What the Gators did on offense at UT showed he knows what he’s doing. The Gators came out throwing, which defied conventional wisdom. Instead of ground and pound, the Gators lit up the UT secondary. The same Anthony Richardson who seemed so tentative against Kentucky and South Florida threw for 453 yards. Justin Shorter caught seven passes for 155 yards, Ricky Pearsall caught five balls for 103 and a TD, and tight end Keon Zipperer caught a pass from Richardson that he turned into a 44-yard touchdown by running over people. Moving forward, we know the Gators have explosive capabilities on offense if Richardson can throw like he did against UT.

The defense was the issue against the Vols. Tennessee had 17 big plays – 10 in the passing game that netted 279 yards and seven in the running game that netted 150. Of the Vols’ 576 yards, 429 came on those 17 plays that averaged 25.2 yards. On the other 43 plays, UT netted 147 yards, or 3.41 per play. You can win with 3.41 per play. You can’t win with 25.2. It should be noted that only seven of the 35 defensive players who have seen the field this year are upperclassmen.

It’s not making excuses to talk inexperience. The Gators are young. No denying that. It’s also a team that had a losing record and serious attitude problems playing for the previous coach last year. Attitudes are a thing of the past. Things are getting better. This is a journey. Try to remember we’re only a few steps into it.

Associated Press top 25: 1. Georgia 4-0; 2. Alabama 4-0; 3. Ohio State 4-0; 4. Michigan 4-0; 5. Clemson 4-0; 6. Southern Cal 4-0; 7. Kentucky 4-0; 8. Tennessee 4-0; 9. Oklahoma State 3-0; 10. North Carolina State 4-0; 11. Penn State 4-0; 12. Utah 3-1; 13. Oregon 3-1; 14. Ole Miss 4-0; 15. Washington 4-0; 16. Baylor 3-1; 17. Texas A&M 3-1; 18. Oklahoma 3-1; 19. BYU 3-1; 20. Arkansas 3-1; 21. Minnesota 4-0; 22. Wake Forest 3-1; 23. Florida State 4-0; 24. Pittsburgh 3-1; 25. Kansas State 3-1

AFCA Coaches top 25: 1. Georgia 4-0; 2. Alabama 4-0; 3. Ohio State 4-0; 4. Michigan 4-0; 5. Clemson 4-0; 6. Southern Cal 4-0; 7. Oklahoma State 3-0; 8. Kentucky 4-0; 9. Tennessee 4-0; 10. North Carolina State 4-0; 11. Ole Miss 4-0; 12. Penn State 4-0; 13. Utah 3-1; 14. Baylor 3-1; 15. Oregon 3-1; 16. Oklahoma 3-1; 17. Texas A&M 3-1; 18. Washington 4-0; 19. Arkansas 3-1; 20. BYU 3-1; 21. Wake Forest 3-1; 22. Florida State 4-0; 23. Minnesota 4-0; 24. Pittsburgh 3-1; 25. Syracuse 4-0

SEC football

No. 2 Alabama (4-0, 1-0 SEC): Starting defensive lineman Byron Young left the Vanderbilt game with a sprained ankle … Although none of them saw action against Vanderbilt, wide receiver Tyrell Harrell, JoJo Earle and Aaron Anderson dressed and went through warmups. All three are expected to be available for Arkansas. Next week: at No. 20 Arkansas (3-1, 1-1 SEC)

No. 20 Arkansas (3-1, 1-1 SEC): There are boinks and then there is what happened to Cam Little at the end of the Hogs’ 23-21 loss to the Aggies. Little’s 42-yard field goal attempt that would have won the game, boinked the TOP of the right upright of the goal posts and then fell into the end zone. Next week: vs. No. 2 Alabama (4-0, 1-0 SEC)

Auburn (3-1, 1-0 SEC): The buzzards are circling the Auburn football complex. After a 17-14 win over Missouri in which the Tigers netted 217 yards of offense, HBC Bryan Harsin’s tenure at Auburn seems to be coming to an end, particularly with LSU, (at) Georgia; (at Ole Miss) and Arkansas next up on the schedule. Next week: vs. LSU (3-1, 1-0 SEC)

No. 1 Georgia (4-0, 1-0 SEC): Cracks in Georgia’s invincible armor? The Bulldogs turned the ball over three times against lowly Kent State and had to settle for three field goals in the red zone. The Poodles’ 39-22 win over a team both Washington and Oklahoma blew out was less than inspiring … Defensive back Javon Bullard was arrested Saturday night for a DUI and seven other misdemeanor charges. Next week: at Missouri (1-3, 0-1 SEC)

No. 7 Kentucky (4-0, 1-0 SEC): Despite a 31-23 win over Kent State in which the Wildcats couldn’t run the football, UK moved up to No. 7 in the AP poll. There are grave concerns with the offensive line. The Wildcats couldn’t run on Kent State and they’re only running for 81.5 yards per game, plus they’ve allowed 16 sacks, worst in the SEC and 129th in the country. Next week: at No. 14 Ole Miss (4-0, 0-0 SEC)

LSU (3-1, 1-0 SEC): With the Tigers leading New Mexico 24-0, quarterback Jayden Daniels left the game with a back injury. Daniels was 24-29 for 279 yards. Next week: at Auburn (3-1, 1-0 SEC)

Mississippi State (3-1, 0-1 SEC): Will Rogers has thrown for 1,386 yards and 16 touchdowns in four games, tops in the SEC and second nationally. Rogers is completing 74.1 percent (140-189) of his passes. Next week: vs. No. 17 Texas A&M (3-1, 1-0 SEC)

Missouri (1-3, 0-1 SEC): The Tigers lost to Auburn in overtime when running back Nathan Peat fumbled at trying to switch the ball from his left to his right hand. Next week: vs. No. 1 Georgia (4-0, 1-0 SEC)

No. 14 Ole Miss (4-0, 0-0 SEC): Zach Evans, who had 10 carries for 48 yards and a TD at the half, was held out of the second half of the Rebels 35-27 win over Tulsa for what HBC Lane Kiffin called “a medical thing.” The Rebels ran for 304 yards in the game. Next week: vs. No. 7 Kentucky (4-0, 1-0 SEC)

South Carolina (2-2, 0-2 SEC): In the Gamecocks 56-20 win over Charlotte, Marshawn Lloyd had a career day with 169 rushing yards and three touchdowns. Next week: vs. South Carolina State

No. 8 Tennessee (4-0, 1-0 SEC): After his performance against Florida, Hendon Hooker is moving up the list of Heisman Trophy candidates. Through four games, Hooker has completed 71.7 precent of his passes for 1,193 yards (10.6 per attempt) and eight touchdowns without an interception. He has run for 175 yards and three touchdowns. Next week: Open date

No. 17 Texas A&M (3-1, 1-0 SEC): The Aggies are 2-0 with Max Johnson at quarterback, which has everybody wondering why Jimbo Fisher started Haynes King in the first two games … Ainias Smith suffered a high ankle sprain in the win over Arkansas, which is likely to limit his production in the next few weeks. Next week: at Mississippi State (3-1, 0-1 SEC)

Vanderbilt (3-2, 0-1 SEC): In losing to Alabama, 55-3, the Commodores had 14 rushing yards and 115 through the air in 52 snaps. Next week: Open date

Our SEC orphans in the Big 12

No. 18 Oklahoma (3-1, 0-1 Big 12): The loss to Kansas State followed a familiar script. The Sooners put up 34 points and 550 yards of offense, but the defense gave up 41 points and 509 yards including 275 on the ground. Next week: at TCU (3-0, 0-0 Big 12)

Texas (2-2, 0-1 Big 12): Quinn Ewers made the trip to Lubbock and dressed out but didn’t play. Will he get the start this week against West Virginia or will Steve Sarkisian hold him out until Oklahoma in two weeks? Next week: vs. West Virginia (2-2, 0-1 Big 12)

Football played somewhere beside the SEC

Georgia Tech (1-3, 0-1 ACC): Multiple sources are reporting that Georgia Tech has pink slipped Geoff Collins, who was 10-28. The athletic association board of trustees will meet this morning to also determine the fate of athletic director Todd Stansbury. Expect Collins to join Nick Saban’s staff as an analyst. He was Saban’s director of player personnel in 2008.

No. 25 Kansas State (3-1, 1-0 Big 12): Quarterback Adrian Martinez, who spent four years as the fan base’s whipping boy at Nebraska, ran for 148 yards and four touchdowns, plus threw for 234 yards and a TD to lead the Wildcats past then 6th-ranked Oklahoma.

No. 6 Southern Cal (4-0, 2-0 Pac-12): Southern Cal’s vaunted offense managed only 357 yards in a 17-14 win over weak Oregon State yet the Trojans moved up in the AP and Coaches polls.

Kansas (4-0, 0-0 Big 12): The Jayhawks had an unbeaten September, which is somewhat of a shock considering the last time a Kansas team won four games in an entire season was 2009. The Jayhawks are averaging 48.5 points and 471.8 yards per game.

Miami (2-2, 0-0 ACC): It’s one thing to lose a grinder by eight on the road at Texas A&M but how does Mario Cristobal explain the Hurricanes getting hosed at home 45-31 by a Conference USA team (Middle Tennessee) that was a 25.5-point underdog?

ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: There was a time when Georgia Tech was one of the nation’s most relevant football programs. John Heisman won a national championship there in 1917. Bill Alexander won one in 1928. Bobby Dodd won in 1952 and was awarded obscure national titles for 1951 and 1956. Bobby Ross won a share of the national title (by UPI) in 1990.

The last time Tech was close to national prominence since Ross was 2009 when Paul Johnson beat Clemson, first year head coach Dabo Swinney and offensive coordinator Billy Napier to win the ACC championship. Since Johnson retired after the 2018 season, Geoff Collins has overseen a serious decline in the program that resulted in his firing Sunday evening.

Already the speculation is that Tech will make Jackson State head coach Deon Sanders its No. 1 target. It would make sense if Tech wants a charismatic leader who basically needs no introduction wherever he goes. At Jackson State, Deon has proven he can recruit and that’s without the kind of resources he would have at his disposal at Georgia Tech. Unleash him among the abundance of talent in Metro Atlanta and some of the best kids might start thinking they would rather play at Georgia Tech than for Kirby Smart over in Athens. Additionally, Deon Sanders might be the one football coach who can tap into the rather substantial upper middle class African-American community that lives rather luxuriously in gated communities east of Atlanta.

Hiring Deon Sanders would seem to be a no-brainer of a hire. Let’s see if Georgia Tech has the brains to do it.