One more opponent

Florida Atlantic will come calling on November 23.

The schedule is rounding into shape.  We'll talk more about the slate as a whole once Georgia ties a bow on it.

h/t Marc Weiszer

Out of the gate

The season will begin on November 14 at Georgia Tech.

As Georgia has more continuity from last year's key contributors than Tech, I hope that favors the Dawgs.  Tech will be playing with no Robert Carter or Daniel Miller for the first time in a couple years.

I suspect Georgia will be favored by a point or two.  Either way, there will be no warm-up.

h/t www.sicemdawgs.com

Moving on (down)

Introducing the "move-down plan":

Athletic director Greg McGarity called it a “move-down plan,” which will allow fans a chance some time during the first half of games to fill seats closer to the Stegeman Coliseum court where there are no-shows from season ticket holders.

The goal is obviously to fill that lower bowl as often as possible.  My previous suggestion had been to do general admission for all non-conference games.  McGarity has chosen to go in a different direction.

I am willing to keep an open mind here, but I do have a couple of concerns:

1. You risk creating a mad rush down to the lower bowl.  It may not sound like much, but 750 people descending all at once could create a bit of a mess.  Part of the reason the general admission worked so well is because people's arrivals are staggered by nature.  Now, you may have 10 people eying the same seat on the way down.  Which leads to...
2. You risk forcing people into a walk of shame, of sorts.  Imagine the family of 5 that gets down only to find that the seats they were after are taken.  Now you have 5 frustrated fans headed back upstairs.
3. You risk distracting from the game.  Media timeouts tend to last right around 2 minutes, 30 seconds.  That is not a lot of time for hundreds of people to get up, gather their stuff, find the right block of seats, and get settled again.  That's ignoring the folks who fail and have to find new seats up top.  People who are moving around are not paying attention to the game, so you could have a couple weird minutes where only half the arena is tuned in.
4. You guarantee some poor schmuck is going to come back from the bathroom and find someone in his seat. That is what ushers are for, but it's still annoying.

Will it work?  Maybe.  The ushers will have to be on their game, that's for sure.  I'm for anything that gets people closer to the court, so it's worth a shot.  There may just be a learning curve for everyone involved during the first few games.

And, of course, we all hope this becomes moot anyway.  If there aren't any open seats, there's no need to move around, right?

h/t Online Athens

League scheduling

The SEC is going to a 3-2-8 conference scheduling format instead of the old 1-4-8.  What does that mean?  The first number is permanent rivals, the second number is rotating home-and-homes, and the third number is single game opponents.

Each team will still play five teams twice and eight teams once during conference play.  However, there will now be three permanent rivalries instead of just one.

Currently, Georgia's permanent rivalry is South Carolina.  Who will the other two be?  I have no idea.  Here are my guesses, along with totally fabricated percentages reflecting my confidence:

Auburn - 90%.  It just makes sense.  Both teams are historically bad, and there is a strong football rivalry in place.  Why not try to spark a basketball rivalry as well?

Florida - 65%.  I have this feeling there's going to be one traditional power in every team's set of rivalries (as much as that's feasible), and Florida has been good enough for long enough to be considered a power.  Add in, again, a healthy football rivalry, and I think both schools would be happy with the pairing.

Vanderbilt - 45%.   Please, no.  Fox couldn't beat Vanderbilt if they fielded 4 players (which they practically did last season).

Kentucky - 30%.  Somebody has to draw them, but even though Georgia has had some limited success against Kentucky in the past 15 years or so, there was never much of a rivalry here.  The series was totally dominated by Kentucky when both teams were in the East.  That doesn't mean they won't be paired up...it just means there's not a hugely compelling reason to do so.

Missouri - 20%.  No special reason.  Just a hunch.

The Field - 30%.  My percentages don't add to 100, but remember, there will be two selections.  Also remember no actual math occurred here, and I just made all of this up.  There are 13 other teams, so there's a decent chance I guessed wrong.

Update  [12:03]:

Why did I leave Tennessee off my list?  I have no idea.  Let's throw them in there at a healthy 60%, and let's kick Vanderbilt down to 35% and knock Kentucky down to 25%.  Much better.

h/t MrSEC.com

Respect

As you know, Georgia basketball gets no respect.

Hard to explain, then, the Dawgs' inclusion in Ahtlon Sports' list of "12 contenders for programs on the rise" this season:

For the second consecutive season, Georgia was the team no bubble team in the SEC wanted to play. The Bulldogs went 12-7 in the league, but they lacked the non-conference resume to be a legitimate NCAA contender. Maybe that changes this season. After getting hit with untimely early entries to the NBA Draft, Mark Fox has his top five scorers returning.

First, if you're going to count our SEC tournament loss, count the win as well.  13-7 in conference is more accurate (see?  NO RESPECT).  Second, it is interesting that Georgia is on someone's national radar in May.  Third, let's forget this article was ever written...because Georgia gets no respect, I tell ya.

h/t David Fox

Filling the void

Talk of filling that last scholarship continues.  In an intriguing twist, Charles Mitchell is transferring from Maryland and presents an intriguing target for Georgia:

Charles Mitchell, who was Maryland's leading rebounder this past year, announced he was transferring in order to be closer to his sick grandmother. Mitchell is from Marietta. And in an intriguing twist, Mitchell could apply for a hardship waiver from the NCAA in order to play right away at his new school, as long as it's within 100 miles from his hometown.

"Knowing that she [his grandmother] raised me and is still a very big part of my life, I decided to move closer to home," Mitchell said in a statement released by Maryland on Thursday. "It’s important for me to be there for my grandmother and to help support my family. I didn’t want to leave, but I have to put my family first.”

Mitchell, listed at 6-8 and 260 pounds, was Maryland's leading rebounder last season. He started 10 games, averaging 6.5 points and 6.3 rebounds last season. He also happens to be an alum of the same high school, Wheeler, as Jaylen Brown, a highly-regarded small forward prospect for the 20155 class.

Now, I've been of the opinion that we should hold that scholarship, but there is a lot to like about the possibility of having Mitchell in Athens next season.  Not only is he a guy I (and Mark Fox) wanted pretty badly when he was coming out of high school, but he's beefy as well, and adding him would continue to address Georgia's issues in the post.

Though he had some issues at Maryland, his official reason for transferring is a sick grandmother.  First, sincere condolences to the young man and best wishes to grandma.  Second, that means he could apply for a hardship waiver if he did choose to come to Georgia, allowing him to play next season.

If Mitchell were to come to Athens, you could almost call the 4 and 5 positions of strength.  Thornton and Mitchell starting with Maten and Iduwe coming off the bench.  Imagine that...

h/t Seth Emerson

At-large tournament teams

Anyone know an easy way to get a list of all at-large NCAA tournament teams from each of the last 5 years?  I'd like to do some research, but my Google-fu has failed me here.

I believe I can pull them off the Wikipedia entries for each tournament if it comes to that, but I'm hoping there is an easier way.  Let me know in the comments if you have any ideas.

Richt believes

It's no secret that Mark Richt and Mark Fox are close friends, so it shouldn't shock you that Richt is a believer:

“I come whenever I can,” Richt said about basketball games. “And I’ll say this. The timing is right for a really, really good season.

“Coach Fox has got, like we said, the top five scorers back. And if you watch them play, they’re not just slingin’ the ball around and doing a bunch of creating on their own kind of stuff. They are running a set offense, and it’s pure execution.

“They play great defense. It’s great basketball.”

He backs it up, too.  He attends quite a few basketball games every year, and has done so even when the team is terrible.

Also in the same article, a hint that some change is coming:

“I do think it’s a great idea to allow people to get closer to the floor and fill those seats. If it’s a 9 o’clock game, for instance, I think it’s a brilliant idea. Some of these late starts, an issue’s developed, and I think we’ve got a great solution to it.”

This conversation has been spurred on, in particular, by the Vermont game.  The Dawgs NIT performance was...less than inspiring, but if it leads to a logical and fan-friendly general admission policy for some games, it just might have been worth it.  The atmosphere for those two games really was special.

h/t Seth Emerson

Atlanta recruiting

Mark Fox is tired of getting out-recruited in Atlanta.  How do I know?  Look at some of his talking points on the spring speaking tour.  There's this:

“I’ve got two native Atlanta guys on my staff now,” Fox said. “I think it’s healthy to have some change.”

And this:

“We started five guys from metro Atlanta. So I think we’ve made a lot of progress there,” Fox said.

His message to kids in the metro Atlanta area is clear:  we want you at Georgia.

Will it translate into more immediate recruiting success?  I don't know.  I'm pretty happy with the 2014 class as is, but neither kid is from Georgia.  The 2015 state class is, as discussed ad nauseum, absolutely loaded, so it won't take long to find out if kids and coaches are buying what he's selling.

Also worth reading in the linked article:  a story about Osahen Iduwe drinking a bottle of Tabasco sauce like it's water.  I'm not sure the correlation between "ability to drink Tabasco sauce" and post defense, but I hope it's strong.

h/t Seth Emerson

d more here: http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/2014/05/20/3112358/yasir-yante-and-the-fire-eater.html#storylink=ore here: http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/2014/05/20/3112358/yasir-yante-and-the-fire-eater.html#storylin

Player Profile: Kenny Paul Geno

Previously:  Houston Kessler 
Previously:  Dusan Langura 
Previously:  Brandon Young

Kenny Paul Geno

Photo Credit:  www.dawnofthedawg.com

Height:  6'6"
Weight:  200
Position:  F
Year:  Sophomore
Role:  Mississippi State Killer
2013-14 Points/Rebounds/Assists Per Game:  1.1/.7/.1

Overview:  It took four previews, but I was finally able to use a game shot instead of a head shot.  Naturally, it is a picture of Geno balling against Mississippi State because, well, hang on...we're getting ahead of ourselves.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope - who you might remember played some decent ball for the Bulldogs - declared his intentions to leave for the NBA draft on 4/15/2013.  Kenny Paul Geno declared his intentions to play college basketball for the Bulldogs on 4/17/2013.  Out went KCP, in came KPG.

The trade was hardly an equal one.  Caldwell-Pope was the best Georgia basketball player in at least a decade, and the KPG signing felt like a desperation move by Fox to fill a roster spot.  In hindsight, well...it still kind of feels that way.

So sure, Kenny is a project.  But there is reason for optimism.  The sample size is very, very small, but as I glance at his numbers, I see this:  50% 3-point shooting (tiny sample size), 53% field goal shooting (small sample size), 15 rebounds (1 every 5 minutes played), and 1 turnover (which, even for a non-ball handler, is impressive over 80 minutes played).

What does all this tell me?  It tells me he plays hard, doesn't do stupid things, takes make-able shots, and isn't afraid to do some dirty work.  Without checking, I'd bet close to half of his 24 points came after an offensive rebound.

And then there's Mississippi State, and oh-by-the-way KPG is from Mississippi and didn't get a scholarship offer.  So what did he do in two games against the other Bulldogs?  Averaged 5.5 points and a couple of rebounds.  Kudos to Mark Fox for letting him stick it to the state school, and kudos to Kenny for taking advantage of the opportunity.

Expectations:  Percentage-wise, Geno may see the biggest jump in minutes on the entire team.  I've got him down for just over 5 minutes per game.

Why might his minutes go up so much?  Let me quote myself here.  He "doesn't do stupid things."  You hear the term "quality minutes" tossed around on basketball broadcasts, and by coming in, getting dirty, and not doing stupid things, that's exactly what Kenny is providing.  Quality minutes.

What might keep his minutes down?  There is actually some quality depth at the forward position these days.  Depending on rotations, Brandon Morris, Nemanja Djurisic, Yante Maten, Cameron Forte, Kenny Paul Geno, and Houston Kessler may all share time at the 3 and 4 positions (though Maten may be counted on more as a 5 right off the bat).  It's a good problem to have, and it'll probably be Kenny Paul Geno and Cameron Forte fighting for playing time before it's all said and done.  Here's hoping that makes them both better.

All in all, I expect good things from KPG this year, even if his minutes are somewhat limited.  If he keeps learning and keeps improving, I'll happily remove the "desperation" label from his scholarship offer.

2014-15 Stats I Could Get Excited About:  1.4/.8/.1 points/rebounds/assists per game.  Throw in .1 blocks, and you make me even happier.

Things I Learned About Kenny From GeorgiaDogs.com:  Kenny averaged 23.5 points and 12.5 rebounds per game his senior year of high school.  Regardless of competition, those are some eye-popping numbers.

Let's go Kenny, and let's go Dawgs!

Rosemond salary revealed

Yasir Rosemond will make $160,000 per year.  That's what Stacey Palmore was making before him.

No huge surprise.  It's certainly a nice salary, and here's hoping it pays quick dividends on the recruiting trail.

h/t dogbytesonline.com

No respect, continued

Hey, at least we got three sentences in the last article.

Now comes an article about how it's "Kentucky, Florida, and everyone else again."  I take no issue with the premise.  However, this is the only sentence which addresses Georgia:

Georgia, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt, Ole Miss.

Ok, so it's a tad generous calling it a sentence.  It's like the author put that in to remind himself to address those teams...then just plain forgot.

He does have Georgia 5th* in his conference power rankings, so hey, there's at least acknowledgement that Georgia will play basketball next year.

h/t nbcsport.com

* As a side note, I don't think I agree with his assessment of LSU.  This plus the loss of Johnny O'Bryant sure seems like a lot to overcome.

We know where Carter won't be playing

Robert Carter is transferring, but it won't be to Georgia:

Greg McGarity, UGA’s athletic director, confirmed Wednesday that he personally asked Georgia Tech for permission to speak to the 6-foot-8, 245-pound forward about a possible transfer. But that request was denied by the Yellow Jackets’ athletic director Mike Bobinsky.

“Well, as per NCAA rules, we asked for permission to visit with (Carter), but unfortunately that permission was denied by Georgia Tech,” McGarity said Wednesday. “And that was very disappointing in light of the situation we had with Daniel Miller.”

Is this surprising?  Not at all.  This is a long-standing policy of Georgia Tech, and it's fairly common nationally.  That doesn't mean it is any less disappointing (and I don't mean for the fans).

I feel lucky to associate with a program that has a very liberal transfer policy, even though it bites us competitively every now and then.

The Daniel Miller example is perfect.  If you recall, he was a Felton commit who decided to leave when Fox was hired.  It's a little different, because he hadn't even played a game yet, but Georgia could have prevented him from landing at Georgia Tech if they wanted to.  Instead, they chose to let him go wherever he wanted because, well, I'll let Greg McGarity tell you:

“The University of Georgia doesn’t restrict a student-athlete from any school that is seeking a transfer,” McGarity said. “The student-athlete’s best interest is at the forefront of our program. If they’re not happy here we’re not going to dictate where they can and can’t go.”

Kudos to Georgia, and shame on every school that does otherwise.  I have no idea if Robert Carter would be interested in coming to Georgia, but if he was, and it resulted in Georgia Tech losing another basketball game, is that truly worth dictating the young man's future?

I'll get off the soapbox for now, and of course, good luck to Robert wherever he plays out his college career.

h/t AJC

Bad news for Tech

Our rivals continue to have 99 problems this offseason:

Georgia Tech coach Brian Gregory has announced that forward Robert Carter Jr.will not return for his junior season and plans to transfer.

Carter, a starter since his freshman year, was Gregory's top signee in 2012. He averaged 10.5 points and 7.4 rebounds in 54 games with the Yellow Jackets.

He averaged 11.4 points and 8.4 rebounds last season.  Stating the obvious:  11.4/8.4 is a lot to lose.  I have no idea what is going on here, but it's a strange decision when taken at face value.  Carter almost certainly would have been a focal point for Tech this season, so it can't be a playing time issue.

Add this to the loss of Solomon Poole to transfer and big men Daniel Miller and Kammeon Holsey to graduation, and Coach Gregory has his work cut out for him in Atlanta.

All in all, it's setting up as a good season for Mark Fox to get that Tech monkey off his back...

h/t ESPN

Under the radar

If Mark Fox wants to play the "no respect" card in the locker room this year, it probably won't be very hard.  Exhibit A:  a write-up of the SEC that contains a whopping three sentences about a team that tied for second in conference wins and returns all but one contributor.

Does it bother me?  Not really.  I am totally fine with this team flying under the radar.  I suppose four or five sentences might have been nice though...

h/t ESPN

Offseason roundup

It's only May, but it has already been an interesting offseason, hasn't it?  Let's take a look at what has changed, and whether we think it will be a net positive or negative.

Out:  Stacey Palmore
In:  Yasir Rosemond
Verdict:  Net positive.  Stacey Palmore, by all accounts, was a hard worker and a good coach.  Unfortunately, he failed to produce consistent results on the recruiting trail.  Enter Yasir Rosemond, a Georgia native with extensive local ties, as well as some west coast ins.  It was a given that Fox was going to prioritize southeast recruiting when filling the position.  Time will tell, but if it's not a home run hire, it seems to at least be a ground rule double.

Out:  Donte' Williams, John Cannon, and Tim Dixon
In:  Yante Maten, Osahen Iduwe
Verdict:  Push.  The loss of three post players on a team desperate for presence in the paint would normally rate just below terrifying.  However, the recruiting wins soften that blow.  I have made no secret of the fact that I think Donte' Williams was under-appreciated, which is why I call this a push.  With Cannon and Dixon, there is no productivity to replace, but Williams brought some defensive presence to the paint that two freshman may or may not be able to replicate.  Long term I think these two guys are going to be a fantastic duo.  Next season, though, I would settle for them maintaining the status quo while hoping the guard play continues to improve.  If they exceed those expectations?  That will only be good for Georgia.

Out:  Postseason or bust attitude.
In:  NCAA tournament or bust attitude.
Verdict:  Net positive.  I thought Fox should have been fired.  I admit it.  That didn't happen, but the next best thing did.  He was clearly put on notice that certain things have to change, and while McGarity denies it, I suspect it was strongly implied that Georgia should be dancing next season.  And you know what?  They should.  Barring the unforeseen (injury or attrition), this lineup is veteran enough and talented enough to get a double-bye in the SEC tournament and a 6 or 7 seed in the NCAA tournament.  Anything less should be considered a failure, and I get the sense those in Butts-Mehre agree with me.

All the verdicts, of course, are pure speculation, but it's May, and I'm happy with where the program is at.  That has to mean something, right?

Rosemond hired

Seth Emerson reports that Yasir Rosemond is our new assistant coach:

Yasir Rosemond, an assistant coach at Samford, is expected to be hired at Georgia, per a source. UGA has not officially announced the hire yet.

The move completes a return home for Rosemond, who grew up in Atlanta before going on to play at Oregon and serve as an assistant coach at several programs on the west coast.

Mr. Sanchez has a nice write-up over at Dawg Sports telling you why you should be excited about this hire.  And you should.  Go read it.

Soon, we'll take a look back at what has been an exciting offseason for Georgia,  For now, suffice it to say that my opinion as to the direction of the program has changed significantly in 6 months, and that's a very, very good thing.

h/t Seth Emerson

Coaching vacancy

One news outlet reported yesterday that Yasir Rosemond was going to be Mark Fox's hire to replace Stacey Palmore.  Since then...crickets from everyone.

I don't want to comment much more until it's official (or not), but this is sure an interesting retweet by Yasir:

GA's hottest prospect right now visiting Athens today. RT @MaLiKK_5 Taking my first visit of the spring to UGA tommmorow! 👌🏀#dawgss
— Justin Young (@JustinDYoung) May 8, 2014

Basketball posts strong APR

The men's basketball team posted a strong APR again this year.  While slightly down from last year, the 986 is still something for Mark Fox and company to be proud of.

This is one aspect of the program Fox definitely has on track, and while it doesn't mean much without wins, it is nice not to have to worry about it.  Good work, fellas.

h/t Marc Weiszer

Scheduling tidbit

Georgia has added Mercer to the schedule next season.  They will visit Athens on December 27, and there is no return trip scheduled.  That obviously doesn't mean the teams won't play again soon.  It just means Georgia isn't obligated to play a return game at Mercer this time around.

It is a fine addition to the schedule (you may remember Mercer dancing all over Duke a few weeks ago), but this is hardly the same team that advanced in the tournament.  Mercer loses 7 seniors.  Included in that 7 was their entire starting 5 last season.

So yeah...gotta win this one...

h/t Seth Emerson

Tim Dixon lands

Missed this while I was gone last week, but Tim Dixon has found a home at Columbus State:

"Tim is a big addition to the Cougar basketball program," CSU coach Robert Moore said in a news release. "He is a very skilled player that has great hands and knows how to finished around the rim. He can also make shots on the perimeter making him a great dual threat for us."

I'm not sure I fully concur with Coach Moore's description of Tim's game, but there is skill there for sure.  Dixon just needs to play a little angrier.  A little advice for Columbus State students:  spike his books or table-top him every time you see Tim on campus.

Best of luck, Tim.

h/t Seth Emerson

Unrest in Knoxville

If you need a little pick-me-up this morning, just compare the offseason we are having in Athens with the offseason they are having up in Knoxville:

Volunteers coach Donnie Tyndall confirmed Monday at a Big Orange Caravan event in Atlanta that both players had asked for their releases "to explore their options."

"I don't think in either case, at least what they're telling me, that these guys have made their mind up to not come back," Tyndall said. "The door has been left open. We certainly hope they will come back, but at the end of the day, they need to be comfortable in what they're going to do the rest of their career, so we've released them to explore their options with the hopes that they'll decide to return."

Their departures would be the latest defections to hit Tennessee since an offseason coaching change. California hired Cuonzo Martin away from Tennessee on April 15, and Tyndall was announced as his replacement a week later. All four recruits to sign with Tennessee in November -- guards Larry Austin Jr. and Jordan Cornish and forwards Phil Cofer and CJ Turman -- have been released from their letters of intent.

Tennessee was already going to have to replace four of its five top scorers.  Now all of this.

And just to be clear, this is said with very little sympathy.  After all, the fans wanted this, right?

h/t ESPN

Player Profile: Houston Kessler

Previously:  Dusan Langura 
Previously:  Brandon Young

Houston Kessler

Photo Credit:  www.georgiadogs.com

Height:  6'8"
Weight: 225
Position:  F
Year:  RS Sophomore
Role: Return of the Newman
2013-14 Points/Rebounds/Assists Per Game:  .2/.5/.1



Overview:  On April 24, 2012, Tony Parker committed to UCLA in one of the more bizarre ceremonies you're ever going to see.  The news was met with a great deal of disappointment within the Bulldog nation, as he would have filled a huge void in the post and, at times, appeared headed to Georgia.

On April 25, 2012, Houston Kessler committed to play his college ball at the University of Georgia.  The news was met with a big, fat sigh.  It looked like another case of Mark Fox missing out on plan A and falling back to plan D.

Despite the fact that Parker hasn't yet made a huge splash for the Bruins, it's hard not to wonder what might have been if he had come to Georgia.  This is no shot at Kessler.  The name, of course, should be familiar, as both his father (Chad) and his uncle (Alec) played ball at UGA and were drafted.

Kessler, though, probably could have walked on instead of using what could have been a valuable scholarship (one that, the cynical will say, Fox would have squandered anyway).  As it was, though, he took that scholarship (as he should have!), red-shirted, then saw limited action in his RS Freshman season.

A surprise start on the road at Auburn and a 3-pointer 47 seconds into the game were surely the highlight of his season.

Expectations:  In my (completely non-scientific) projections, I have Houston averaging 1.5 minutes per game, but that is spread out over the entire season, not over games played.  In other words, this past season, he played 26 total minutes, and I'm betting he doubles that this year.

It is hard not to think of Steve Newman when writing about Kessler.  The measurables are almost identical, and I suspect we will see Houston develop into a similar player - a bigger guy who is more comfortable on the perimeter and is a sneaky-good shooter.

However, Newman had the advantage (if you want to call it that) of playing on less talented teams, and thus earned more minutes.  He played 19.5 minutes per game his senior season.  19.5!

The fact that he's a big body gives him the slight edge over Langura in my "impact" rankings.  For Houston, the key will be to maximize his minutes.  It doesn't matter if it's crunch time or garbage time.  Run the offense, show an ability to body up in the post, and hit some 3's.  If he does that, the minutes will find him.

2014-15 Stats I Could Get Excited About:  .2/.5/.1 points/rebounds/assists per game.

Things I Learned About Houston From GeorgiaDogs.com:  He says his nickname is "Houston."  Come on now.  We can do better than that.

Your Very Necessary Where-Is-Steve-Newman-Today Update:   In case you were wondering where Steve Newman is now, I don't know for sure, even after Googling him.  I can tell you he was something called a Cloud Sherpa in 2012, though, and it appears he is still there today.  I'm sure he is representing the Bulldog Nation well wherever he is.

Let's go Houston, and let's go Dawgs!