247Sports' Preseason Top 25 for 2020

[lifeisdeep]

The basic idea/point was that in 1998 Tennessee was ranked where they were because they had a proven track record of success that a prognosticator could make assumptions about them as a team no matter what they lost/returned.

You can do the same thing with Georgia right now. They are winning a minimum 11 per year right now, what they lose/return be damned

That can't be assumed. They have had a highly-ranked quarterback for several years running. This will be the first time under Kirby that they have had an unknown quantity at the position. And it is, after all, the most important position on the field. Just ask us Vol fans, who have been held hostage for three years now by a quarterback.

 

[Jaws]

Florida goes 8-4 this year due to a weak offense (no experienced RB or WRs) and weak interior DL..

I’m sure someone has already corrected you on this, so I apologize in advance if redundant.

Florida has an experienced RB in Dameon Pierce. You should remember him, he took a TD 50 yards in Knoxville as a true Freshman and had another bruising TD run v Tennessee last year in the Swamp, trucked a DB around the 10 before taking it in. Pierce has 123 career carries, 6 TD’s, including several long TD runs. They also have Malik Davis who has plenty of experience, although injured most of last year. He’s got 126 carries at UF, you’ll probably also remember his 70-something yard run v UT a few years ago where the UT DB made a helluva hustle play and forced a fumbled at the 1, UT recovered. If those two aren’t getting it done, former 5-star Lorenzo Lingard will get a chance.

Regarding WR, you’re again very wrong. Florida returns 123 catches and 11 TD’s from last year among Tre Grimes, Kadarius Toney, Jacob Copeland and All-SEC WR/TE hybrid Kyle Pitts. They’ve also got more mega-prospects than I can list here who will be in the mix including 5-star transfer Justin Shorter.

Weak interior D-line? They’ve got the same guys as last year on the interior D-line and nobody was calling that unit “weak.” Multiple-year starters Kyrie Campbell and TJ Slaton bypassed the NFL draft and came back for senior years. UF also returns rising star Zach Carter who has played a ton of SEC football, plus solid backups in Marlon Dunlap and Elijah Conliffe. Oh, they add the best DL prospect in the country in 5-star Gervon Dexter.

Florida will be better than last year.

 

[99gator]

That can't be assumed. They have had a highly-ranked quarterback for several years running. This will be the first time under Kirby that they have had an unknown quantity at the position. And it is, after all, the most important position on the field. Just ask us Vol fans, who have been held hostage for three years now by a quarterback.

I hate to channel Uncle Lou especially since this guy played well against Florida, but Jake Fromm sucks. He will not be missed.

What they need is exactly what LSU found last season above all else, offensive creativity and an emphasis to score not any of this ball control crap. They played to score. They had the same personnel in 2019 that they did in 2018.

The biggest thing holding back Georgia is coaching philosophy on the offensive side of the ball.

And that's something Saban doesn't get enough credit for. He's old school to his core as well. But, he doesn't play Pat Dye football because he's smart enough to know that's not going to get it done today.

And if you want an example of what I mean, Georgia converted 66 percent on 3rd down and had 0 turnovers against Florida and still only scored 24 points.

But, having said all that, they win.

 

[bpalmer28]

How is UGA ranked fourth with a new quarterback? Dumb.

Possibly the best defense in the SEC East since.... well, you know.

 

[bpalmer28]

Florida goes 8-4 this year due to a weak offense (no experienced RB or WRs) and weak interior DL.
L’s to LSU, UGA, UK, and the good guys.
Mullen seat heats up quick as the poor recruiting becomes remarkably clear.

Hope you’re right but I think they’ll be 10-2 with losses to UGA and UT.

 

[lifeisdeep]

I hate to channel Uncle Lou especially since this guy played well against Florida, but Jake Fromm sucks. He will not be missed.

What they need is exactly what LSU found last season above all else, offensive creativity and an emphasis to score not any of this ball control crap. They played to score. They had the same personnel in 2019 that they did in 2018.

The biggest thing holding back Georgia is coaching philosophy on the offensive side of the ball.

And that's something Saban doesn't get enough credit for. He's old school to his core as well. But, he doesn't play Pat Dye football because he's smart enough to know that's not going to get it done today.

And if you want an example of what I mean, Georgia converted 66 percent on 3rd down and had 0 turnovers against Florida and still only scored 24 points.

But, having said all that, they win.

I agree that Fromm was not exactly a game-changer. But that's irrelevant to my point that he was highly-ranked coming out of high school - if I recall correctly, he was a five-star recruit. Five-stars often disappoint, but a five-star can disappoint and still be playing in a different universe than a three-star that disappoints, which stinks up the stadium and holds an entire team back. If Ugga had had a three-star quarterback the last three seasons the odds are extremely high that Kirby would be coaching at a Power 5 school right about now.