Georgia vs Samford: SEC Network crew excited for Athens party
This weekend’s Georgia vs Samford game will end yet another drought for Kirby Smart’s Dawgs. And all they have to do is show up.
The last time Georgia played a home game as defending National Champions was September 5th, 1981.
Georgia’s contest with Tennessee wasn’t nearly as competitive as their prior matchup in Knoxville when Herschel Walker said, ‘Goodbye, Bill Bates. Hello, world.’
The Dawgs took care of the Vols, 44-0, in that triumphant return to Athens.
By the time Georgia kicks off against Samford on Saturday, 41 years and five days will have passed since that Tennessee thumpin’.
Luckily for Georgia fans, the last 242 will have been much more enjoyable.
That’s the environment the SEC Network’s crew of Taylor Zarzour, former Georgia football offensive lineman and College Football Hall-of-Famer Matt Stinchcomb, and Alyssa Lang will enter on Saturday.
Yes, it’s ‘only FCS Samford.’ But home games Between the Hedges as National Champions don’t grow on trees
“That’s a long time,” Stinchcomb astutely pointed out.
“The excitement has been able to build. Other than the parade, and being in the stadium for the celebration, this will be the first time back for the fans. It will be exciting to see, not only in that environment, but for the first time generationally, so many Dawg fans that will have never experienced that. I certainly would have never been in the stadium in that circumstance. So I’m pretty fired up. And I would anticipate that the fans will be as well.”
For Zarzour, the Mobile, Alabama native has SEC pride all through his family. Some Zarzours went to Alabama. Another went to Georgia. But nothing compares to an Athens trip when Stinchcomb’s leading the charge.
“I actually try to perpetuate it. I try to accentuate it as much as I can. When we’re in town, nobody else pays for anything. He is the unofficial mayor of Athens, so I sort of enjoy being on his hip for a couple of days.”
As for the action on the field, Stinch sees room for improvement at his former position group
Georgia’s 49-3 final score against Oregon may indicate total domination to the untrained eye.
Not so, for the former Dawgs offensive lineman. Stinchcomb says his group still has to tighten up a few things.
“I thought they played well. They had some mental errors that they need to clean up. There were some free hats, some unblocked defenders that are a concern. But their ability to get young guys in early, I want to say Warren McClendon by the third series had already rotated out. That’s an impressive development to be able to pull off,” Stinchcomb said.
“Amarius Mims gets in there, next thing you know, McClendon’s in there at left tackle, and they’re able to roll some guys through. Guard’s still a question mark, and I think that’s an area that they can still improve. It looks like the rotation at tackle makes sense. The center makes sense. But it’s the guards where we might see some new faces in different places. But I thought overall, considering that there was some shuffling at some new spots other than Van Pran and McClendon in there, that they played well.”
Zarzour is more apt to share a little ‘rat poison’
I shared with the crew that Kirby Smart wasn’t pleased with his group’s practice efforts on Tuesday.
With a FCS opponent coming to town, it’s right out of the Nick Saban press conference playbook. (Remember Georgia Southern, excrement, and a tin horn?)
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“Kirby upset with the way practice went on Tuesday, it sounds a little Alabama-ish, doesn’t it?” Zarzour said.
“You have to constantly challenge your guys to play at that same level, and that’s very difficult to do. But what we saw the first game of the season reminds you of the way Alabama typically comes out in one of those neutral-site games. I don’t think there’s any question that Georgia is at the beginning of a dynasty here. You’re going to see this team compete for National Championships over and over again for years to come.”
Georgia vs Samford isn’t just a house-divided game for Kirby Smart and his father, Sonny (who played football at Samford)
Stinchcomb’s daughter, Janie, committed to play volleyball for the other Bulldogs last month.
“The part that made it easier I thought, prior to her decision to play volleyball at Samford was that there’s a commonality from a mascot standpoint,” Stinchcomb said.
“There’s an easy affinity there. I couldn’t screw that up if I were to slip up and say ‘Go Dawgs’ or something during a broadcast. No one really knows who I’m talking about.”
According to the Gwinnett Daily Post, Lanie Stinchcomb’s 149 kills, 78 blocks, 45 digs, 25 aces (.923 serve percentage) and 12 assists for AAA State Champion GAC earned her all-state and first-team all-county honors.
Luckily for this Bulldog family, Georgia vs Samford won’t serve as a distraction for Stinchcomb while he does his job in the booth.
“There are a few distinctions between a volleyball team match and a football game, that I will be able to divorce myself from any affinity that I might have that I otherwise wouldn’t have. So I do feel as if I can maintain some level of objectivity.”
Georgia vs Samford kicks off at 4pm Saturday on the SEC Network.
