🏈 Kirby Goff and a case of paranoia. (It's not a tight collar, it's the fitting for a noose.)

[TerryP]

I don't know if you guys have caught this story or not. Kirby has added an addendum to the media policies in Athens where reporters observing practices can't report on any injuries, or players in black shirts, they may see when they are there covering the Bulldogs.

The policy emailed Tuesday afternoon hours before practice said that media members can’t report on players wearing non-contact jerseys, working with the training staff or becoming injured during open portions of practice unless Smart provides information about their medical status. - Online Athens
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My first thought was "what the hell is he thinking?" Reporters are there to report on what they see, but they can't report on what they see UNLESS Kirby provides them with that information in press conferences (assuming he'd answer an injury related question.)

Color me confused. It's their job to report what they see, correct? What would you expect a reporter to do if he witnessed Chubb getting hurt? Or, their back-quarterback?

To me, this appears as paranoia setting in for Kirby. I fully realize this is a big year for Kirby. If we see some of the same ol', same ol' (as in some of the theatrics and antics we witnessed last saeson) the confidence and support Kirby has in Athens will evaporate, quickly.

Okay, I did try to look at this from both points of view. I get what Kirby is trying to do. I don't get what Kirby thinks when it comes to controlling the content of what beat reporters can write. I struggle thinking that there's a possibility Kirby just may not understand what their responsibilities are or understand the "Free Press Clause" in the constitution. (I'm no constitutional lawyer so correct me if I'm looking at this wrong.)

I can give Kirby a pass on being ill-formed though. Hell, we have judges residing on their respective benches that don't understand this as well it appears.

 

[alagator]

I think he's been paranoid since he took the job at UGA. Just one year ago the stories were about legislative action for open records requests and the football program. He's trying to be very secretive, but why?

 

[50+yeartidefan]

Kirby might just be finding the HC job is more then running a Defense stocked by the master of recruiting with incredible amount of talent.......but i think he will succeed by being in the SECe.... it is for the taking...

 

[TerryP]

.but i think he will succeed by being in the SECe....

I don't see this in the same light as you. I don't think it's about being successful in the SEC East. After all, we saw a nine win team make it to ATL last season.

UGA fired a guy that was winning 10 games per season because they wanted more and I've seen nothing that leads me to believe Kirby has the coaching acumen to maintain the same winning percentage as Richt. UGA lost five games last year. There's absolutely no reason they should lose five games--in any season. Hell, they came real close to losing to Nicholls at home, came real close to losing to a very bad Missouri team, and lost to Vandy!

While I don't care for his tactics in recruiting, no doubt he's doing well there. I don't see the same on the coaching side of things.

That's the reason I continue with the thought he's nothing more than Ray Goff 2.0.

 

[TUSKtimes]

Kirby better pick the pace up this season. He won't be able to hide behind all that talent. Kirby should remember well what happened to Alabama in Saban's second year after opening with Clemson and turning the lights out on the #3 ranked "blackout" team in Athens. To have 2 NFL-bound running backs return for their senior season, and being able to shore up the OL and a few other weak spots with a tremendous recruiting cycle, this just doesn't look like a program in need of a 4-year rebuild.

 

[50+yeartidefan]

I don't see this in the same light as you. I don't think it's about being successful in the SEC East. After all, we saw a nine win team make it to ATL last season.

UGA fired a guy that was winning 10 games per season because they wanted more and I've seen nothing that leads me to believe Kirby has the coaching acumen to maintain the same winning percentage as Richt. UGA lost five games last year. There's absolutely no reason they should lose five games--in any season. Hell, they came real close to losing to Nicholls at home, came real close to losing to a very bad Missouri team, and lost to Vandy!

While I don't care for his tactics in recruiting, no doubt he's doing well there. I don't see the same on the coaching side of things.

That's the reason I continue with the thought he's nothing more than Ray Goff 2.0.

The disenchantment with Ritcht didnt start for a long time....MR showed...without a doubt...his teams choked year after year..
Without reason sometimes...
that was MRs downfall..UGA fans really believe they are the top dogs inthe SEC...with little reason..period...
Also, the other SECe team..Spurrier couldnt produce continued success, UT fired one. Of the highest successful coaches...based on winning %...not class.
But KS by being in the SECe...can put together some decent sesaons..FL and UT wont stay withtheir coaches very long...and really there is no other successful programs destained to be competitiveexcept ona rare occasions..and KS will give UGA stability...the other 6dont have..only point bout SECe

 

[TerryP]

Also, the other SECe team..Spurrier couldnt produce continued success, UT fired one. Of the highest successful coaches...based on winning %...not class.

Who are you talking about here? I get a little lost reading some of your posts with the use of the Ellipsis.

and KS will give UGA stability.

Here's where we'll begin to disagree. Kirby may, eventually, give UGA some stability. His first task is going to be stabilizing the instability he created last season. A lot of his decisions last season—on and off the field—were Gerry Faust bad.

On a national perspective when it comes to covering/reporting on college football you'll find a lot of guys who have roots in the ATL area. These guys have their heads so far up Kirby you won't find a lot of factual reports—Schlabach and Barnett to name two. Even outside of the ATL area you'll find your Tennessee guys (like Low) and your Florida guys (Ashcoff) who are more interested in staying on the good side of Kirby than they are in reporting what's happening within that program.

I could sit here and cite examples if you'd like. There are plenty to choose from. But, for the sake of brevity, I'll say two things I truly believe.

SEC East in '17 sees Feleipe Franks will light up UGA in November.
Mark Richt has lost control of Kirby Goff.

 

[50+yeartidefan]

Who are you talking about here? I get a little lost reading some of your posts with the use of the Ellipsis.



Here's where we'll begin to disagree. Kirby may, eventually, give UGA some stability. His first task is going to be stabilizing the instability he created last season. A lot of his decisions last season—on and off the field—were Gerry Faust bad.

On a national perspective when it comes to covering/reporting on college football you'll find a lot of guys who have roots in the ATL area. These guys have their heads so far up Kirby you won't find a lot of factual reports—Schlabach and Barnett to name two. Even outside of the ATL area you'll find your Tennessee guys (like Low) and your Florida guys (Ashcoff) who are more interested in staying on the good side of Kirby than they are in reporting what's happening within that program.

I could sit here and cite examples if you'd like. There are plenty to choose from. But, for the sake of brevity, I'll say two things I truly believe.

SEC East in '17 sees Feleipe Franks will light up UGA in November.
Mark Richt has lost control of Kirby Goff.

Well....he was a first year HC....there is a learning curve...and if I remember right Gerry Faust came from a High School program he ran...KS came from a Nick Saban program...but I get ur points....

 

[TerryP]

Also, the other SECe team..Spurrier couldnt produce continued success, UT fired one. Of the highest successful coaches...based on winning %...not class.

This is what confused me. At first glance it looks like you're saying UT fired a highly successful coach due to his winning percentage and not class. I'm left wondering if you're talking about Fulmer.

Spurrier quit. It wasn't a matter of continuing the success he had in Columbia. I'm not talking about how he stopped coaching at UofSC. I'm talking about how he quit coaching and recruiting at UofSC but we still saw him on the sidelines on Saturday's.

 

[252BAMA]

Who are you talking about here? I get a little lost reading some of your posts with the use of the Ellipsis.



Here's where we'll begin to disagree. Kirby may, eventually, give UGA some stability. His first task is going to be stabilizing the instability he created last season. A lot of his decisions last season—on and off the field—were Gerry Faust bad.

On a national perspective when it comes to covering/reporting on college football you'll find a lot of guys who have roots in the ATL area. These guys have their heads so far up Kirby you won't find a lot of factual reports—Schlabach and Barnett to name two. Even outside of the ATL area you'll find your Tennessee guys (like Low) and your Florida guys (Ashcoff) who are more interested in staying on the good side of Kirby than they are in reporting what's happening within that program.

I could sit here and cite examples if you'd like. There are plenty to choose from. But, for the sake of brevity, I'll say two things I truly believe.

SEC East in '17 sees Feleipe Franks will light up UGA in November.
Mark Richt has lost control of Kirby Goff.

Don't disagree with you much but in this case I would think Eason is more likely to light up a Florida defense that returns but 5 starters than Franks doing so against an UGA defense that returns 10 starters.

 

[TerryP]

Don't disagree with you much but in this case I would think Eason is more likely to light up a Florida defense that returns but 5 starters than Franks doing so against an UGA defense that returns 10 starters.

If it were Richt and Bobo coaching, I'd have paused before making that statement. But, we're talking about Kirby and more importantly Jim Chaney.

• One season at Tennessee, with Lane in charge of the offense, UT was the sixth best offense in the SEC. The next two years they were ninth.
• He took over the Arkansas job and in his first year they were sixth in the conference. The next year, ninth.
• Granted, it's Pitt, but his one year there they were in the bottom quarter of the NCAA in offense.
• UGA was 11th in the SEC in offense last season. Based on his history where we've seen the offenses digress under his leadership what's a reasonable forecast for 2017? I'd say more of the same.

One thing that jumps out to me is that first year, a transitional year with coaching staffs, he did a mediocre job with talent inherited. After a year in the position ...

And, FWIW, the conversations I've had with guys around the Florida program this spring have all indicated Franks is having one hell of a spring.