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Georgia won its season opener at Arkansas 37-10. We breakdown what went wrong and what went right here.
After an abysmal first half where Georgia found itself down 7-2 at one point, the Bulldogs were able to find some rhythm and came back to beat Arkansas 37-10.
The resurgence was due, in part, to junior quarterback Stetson Bennett, who got the call when redshirt freshman D’Wan Mathis was pulled after just five drives.
Hear what former Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray had to say about the Dawgs’ quarterback play here:
Let’s break down the good versus the bad from UGA’s win in Fayetteville.
Georgia has scored its first points of the 2020 season but not by a Zamir White run or George Pickens catch. UGA’s defense came through with a safety early in the second quarter to cut the Arkansas lead to 5. Watch it here: …
Georgia has scored its first points of the 2020 season but not by a Zamir White run or George Pickens catch.
UGA’s defense came through with a safety early in the second quarter to cut the Arkansas lead to 5.
Watch it here:
🙏 pic.twitter.com/mJElkUsqkK
— GEORGIA HEROES (@GeorgiaHeroes) September 26, 2020
Redshirt freshman D’Wan Mathis has had a rough time so far and running back Zamir White only had two touches in the first quarter – we are going to need a lot more of this Bulldog offense to compete for the College Football Playoff.
Watch new UGA quarterback D’Wan Mathis connect to star receiver George Pickens for a big first-down conversion here!
Georgia has a starting quarterback.
Coach Kirby Smart and staff elected to start redshirt freshman D’Wan Mathis over USC transfer J.T. Daniels and he has shown some ability early on in the first half.
This particular throw to George Pickens may be a foreshadowing of things to come for the Bulldog offense :
D’Wan Mathis @DwanM3 to George Pickens @geo_Thagoat pic.twitter.com/UZ4UoO5JPk
— GEORGIA HEROES (@GeorgiaHeroes) September 26, 2020
Love how Mathis stood tall and got it to Pickens with not much room to work with; hopefully we get to see more of this moving forward!
Check back here for more highlights and analysis during the game.
Former Georgia running back D’Andre Swift gives his thoughts on the UGA quarterback situation. Details and analysis here!
Georgia is set to kick off its 2020 season versus Arkansas at 4 p.m. on the SEC Network and currently has not named a starting quarterback.
The Bulldogs were hit with adversity early this September when Wake Forest transfer quarterback Jamie Newman decided to opt-out of the 2020 season citing, concerns surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic.
This left Georgia with redshirt sophomore USC transfer J.T. Daniels and redshirt freshman D’Wan Mathis as potential signal callers.
We have received news today that Daniels has still yet to be cleared for gameplay from his ACL tear last year, which means we will most likely see Mathis make his college football deput in Fayetteville.
Lions running back, former Georgia football star D’Andre Swift gave his thoughts on the Georgia quarterback situation recently in an interview with Campus Lore.
“I know Coach Smart is going to make the best decision for the team,” Swift said. “But, me personally, I would like to see D’Wan Mathis out there. I think he will bring a different style of play. I have been reading up on him and he has looked great in camp. He is ready and looked real mature. I want to see him out there. I definitely want to see him out there.”
There may not be as much of a battle as reported, if Daniels’ can’t get cleared from his knee injury that occured last October.
It should free Mathis up to run things without the thought of Daniels’ over his shoulder every play, but against teams like Auburn and Alabama, the Bulldogs may need all hands on deck to get the offense going.
Read how to tune in to UGA vs Arkansas for the Georgia football 2020 season opener here!
We have football! The Southeastern Conference kicks off its 10-game schedule today.
No. 4 Georgia travels to Arkansas to face former offensive line coach Sam Pittman and former Florida quarterback Feleipe Franks.
Georgia vs. Arkansas
Kickoff: 4 p.m. ET
TV: SEC Network
Stream:Â Watch ESPN
Where:Â Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium – Fayetteville, Arkansas.Â
Satellite Radio: XM 191
Georgia Radio: Athens 960 AM/106.1 FM; Atlanta 750 AM/95.5 FM; Macon 106.3 FM; Augusta 580 AM/95.1 FM; Savannah 1400 AM/104.3 FM; Columbus 1460 AM/100.1 FM; Valdosta 105.9 FM; Rome 107.1 FM (IMG Radio-Scott Howard, Eric Zeier, Chuck Dowdle)
Line: Georgia -28
Odds courtesy of BetMGM.
Over/under: 52
Matchup predictor: Georgia has a 91.1% chance to win, according to ESPN’s Football Power Index.
Series history: Currently, Georgia leads the series 10-4. UGA won the last matchup in 2014.
Prediction: Georgia wins 38-13
Captains: Senior DL Malik Herring, senior DB Richard LeCounte, junior tackle Jamaree Salyer.
Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.
Your friends at UGA Football Live and UGA Wire present your one stop shop for all things Georgia Football! Listen here!
Your friends at UGA Football Live and UGA Wire present your one stop shop for all things Georgia Football!
We will be releasing episodes and interviews each week during the 2020 college football season, with a little bit of everything sprinkled in between.
Listen here:
In today’s show I talk about:
Bulldogs’ offense
Bulldogs’ defense
Arkansas
Dawgs of the week in the NFL
Braves update
Best names in college football
Next week’s show will be out Wednesday. You won’t want to miss who I’m interviewing about the Georgia quarterback battle, so make sure and tune in next week!
See what the Arkansas media is saying about Georgia ahead of Saturday’s matchup. Details and analysis here!
It’s finally here. No. 4 Georgia is set to kickoff its 2020 season at Arkansas on Saturday at 4 p.m. on the SEC Network.
UGA coach Kirby Smart matched up against former offensive line coach Sam Pittman, who left the Bulldogs last year to take the head coach position in Fayetteville.
Georgia has not yet named a starting quarterback and Smart hinted to the possibility of UGA keeping that under wraps anyway, but we know that former Florida quarterback Feleipe Franks will be at signal caller for the Razorbacks.
Here is what the Arkansas football media is saying about the Bulldogs:
- Bob Holt – Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
“Maybe Smart mentioning Mathis last means he’s going to start. Several Georgia media members have speculated Mathis will start Saturday.”
- Otis Kirk – Pig Trail Nation.
“Georgia’s expected starter Jamie Newman who transferred in as a grad transfer from Wake Forest was generally considered the most likely quarterback, but he opted out of the season. That left USC transfer JT Daniels and D’Wan Mathis as the likely candidates. A reporter speculated to Pittman that Mathis seemed to be the likely starter.
- Trey Biddy – Hawg SportsÂ
“Georgia did not rack up a bunch of sacks last season either, finishing 46th nationally with 31 total, nor did the Bulldogs did not make a lot of TFL (60th with 76). Given those numbers, the fact that UGA was second nationally in allowing just 2.6 yards per rush without a lot of those negative yardage plays is even more impressive. They also led the nation with only two rushing touchdowns allowed.
- Nate Allen – Hootens
The Razorbacks, off consecutive 2-10 seasons, start last year’s true freshman starting guard at center and first-time starting redshirt freshmen guards. They’ll either start a third-year sophomore (injured last season) or last year’s incumbent at right tackle with the lone senior starter at left tackle.
Arkansas has more than a challenge Saturday. Georgia enters with the best defense in the nation and some serious talent on offense, featuring guys like George Pickens, Zamir White, James Cook, etc.
It will be interesting to see how the Bulldogs treat the quarterback position Saturday. Will we see one guy take over the game, or will we see each player get some reps, and who gets the starting nod and why?
Because of the questions surrounding J.T. Daniels’ knee, I suspect D’Wan Mathis will get the start and a majority of the reps, with Daniels and Stetson Bennett seeing a limited number of snaps. We may even see freshman Carson Beck get reps as well.
A look at former Georgia OL coach and current Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman’s first recruiting class is coming along.
Georgia lost a good one when Sam Pittman, the former offensive line and associate head football coach of the Dawgs, left for the Arkansas head coaching job in December.
The move was respectable, as Pittman was making a decision for his family as well as his career. Jumping from position coach to head coach of an SEC school if a life-changing move.
Pittman assembled one of the toughest offensive lines in Georgia’s history.  The Dawgs had three offensive linemen go in the first 111 picks in the 2020 NFL Draft. Two of them went in the first round: Andrew Thomas fourth to the New York Giants and Isaiah Wilson 29th to the Tennessee Titans. Solomon Kindley was also selected by the Miami Dolphins in the fourth-round.
Georgia had never had two offensive linemen selected in the first round of the same draft, and Thomas became the highest-drafted Bulldog offensive lineman in school history.
These three, and the rest of the potential NFL offensive linemen the Dawgs still have are all Pittman’s recruits.
Pittman’s new team, the Arkansas Razorbacks, are ranked as the #66 returning team in college football, according to ESPN’s Football Power Index. This puts them as the projected second worst team in the SEC, just ahead of Vanderbilt.
When Pittman took the Arkansas job, it had a 2020 class that was ranked 109th nationally by both ESPN and 247Sports. That ranking has now jumped to 30th in the country, showing vast improvement already from the Razorback’s hire.
Pittman has four 4-star commits in the 2020 class, along with three 4-star transfers including former Florida Gators’ quarterback Feleipe Franks.
His 2021 class features five 3-stars and is currently ranked 51st nationally, 10th in the SEC.
Arkansas has the 2nd toughest schedule in all of college football next year, according to 247Sports. The Hogs will face off against Nevada, Notre Dame, Mississippi State, Texas A&M, Alabama, LSU, Tennessee, Auburn, Ole Miss and Missouri.
Pittman will need all the recruits he can get with the plate he’s being served in the 2020 season.
Arkansas Razorbacks head coach Sam Pittman was excited for the selections of Georgia Bulldog linemen Andrew Thomas and Isaiah Wilson.
Arkansas Razorbacks head coach Sam Pittman was genuinely excited for his former players when they were selected in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Prior to becoming the latest head coach at Arkansas, Pittman coached offensive line for the Georgia Bulldogs.
Pittman excelled in recruiting during his time in Athens. He landed loads of talent along the offensive front. He coached 4th overall pick Andrew Thomas (New York Giants) and 29th overall pick Isaiah Wilson (Tennessee Titans).
Watch Pittman’s excitement for his former players:
"I'm as proud of you as anybody could ever be."
Prepare for all the feels watching @CoachSamPittman celebrate with his former players after they were drafted in the first round last night. pic.twitter.com/FAO7YCmxGV— Arkansas Razorback Football (@RazorbackFB) April 24, 2020
Pittman’s connection with his former linemen is father-like. His joy for Andrew Thomas and Isaiah Wilson is incredible. Pittman helped develop both prospects and shared his love for both of them.
Pittman is an excellent hire for Arkansas. He’ll rebuild their offensive front, which was once intimidating. His personality is another reason the Razorbacks will attract top talent again.
Pittman’s not done celebrating the selections of his former Georgia Bulldog players. Offensive guard Solomon Kindley is projected to be selected in the next couple of rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft.
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Former Georgia football OL coach Sam Pittman signs new head coach deal with the Arkansas Razorbacks. See the details of the signing here.
Georgia lost a good one yesterday as offensive line coach Sam Pittman signed a deal with Arkansas to become the Razorbacks’ new head coach.
Pittman, who has played a critical role in beefing up the Georgia offensive line through recruiting and coaching, is getting paid well by the Hogs.
Related: Sam Pittman’s departure is a huge blow for Georgia
Pittman contract is a five-year deal that starts at $3 million annually, per Steve Berkowitz of USA TODAY Sports.
At Georgia, Pittman was valued incredibly high by Kirby Smart, earning $900,000 per year as a position coach.
Berkowitz provided all the info necessary on Pittman’s new contract.
Arkansas's contract with new football coach Sam Pittman is a five-year deal starting at $3 million annually, new document from school says.
— Steve Berkowitz (@ByBerkowitz) December 9, 2019
The contract will be extended by 1 year — up to two times during the initial term — if Razorbacks play in a bowl game https://t.co/yV7G7Cdk1U
— Steve Berkowitz (@ByBerkowitz) December 9, 2019
Pittman can trigger automatic raises in the subsequent contract year if Razorbacks win at least 6 games in a season.
In any one year, he would get the best one raise of:
–$250,000 for 6 wins
–$500,000 for 7 wins
–$750,000 for 8 or more wins https://t.co/yV7G7Cdk1U— Steve Berkowitz (@ByBerkowitz) December 9, 2019
The agreement includes a provision that prohibits Pittman from leaving Arkansas for a coaching job at another SEC school unless Arkansas fires him without cause. https://t.co/yV7G7Cdk1U
— Steve Berkowitz (@ByBerkowitz) December 9, 2019
This is a huge loss for the Bulldogs but is understandable looking at the business perspective of the deal.
We wish coach Pittman and his family nothing but the best as he embarks for Fayetteville next season.
Once a Dawg…always a Dawg.
