Georgia fans, let’s talk. There’s some tension in the air, and if you listen closely, you can almost hear the collective side-eye the Dawg Nation is throwing Mike Bobo’s way. It’s like when your homie swears he can cook, then serves up some under-seasoned chicken—technically edible, but nowhere near what you were expecting. That’s the mood in Athens right now. But hold up, is Mike Bobo really the problem, or are we just playing the blame game? And where does Kirby Smart fit in all this after losing some ground with Dawgs Nation? Well, let’s unpack this drama, ‘cause it’s getting spicy.
On March 2nd, On3’s J.D. Pickell stirred the pot when he addressed Georgia’s offensive struggles last season. “I think there’s a lot here, think you can have a percentage of the blame divvied up towards Mike Bobo without it being a Mike Bobo problem. Do we align there? Like, again, I told you I understand all the frustrations, but at the same time, how much are you going to blame Mike Bobo for the drops? For the Carson Beck interceptions?” he said, breaking it down like a detective on a crime scene.
Sure, Mike Bobo’s play-calling wasn’t exactly poetry in motion, but Pickell argued that fans had already made up their minds about him before he even had a chance to mess up. “It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy,” he claimed. Basically, Georgia fans didn’t want Bobo from the jump, and the second things went south, they were ready to burn his playbook in the town square.
Let’s be real: Georgia’s offense in 2024 wasn’t trash—it just wasn’t championship material. The Dawgs went from torching defenses with over 40 points per game in 2021-23 to a very mid 31.5 PPG last season, ranking 38th nationally. That’s not the Georgia standard. And while Bobo’s fingerprints are all over some questionable calls, let’s not act like he was out there dropping passes or throwing picks. Carson Beck, who was supposed to be HIM, had 11 interceptions in the first five games. The O-line, once a brick wall, started getting pushed around.
J.D. Pickell doubled down and pointed out Georgia Bulldogs actual flaw: “The reality of what last year was—Georgia wasn’t as good as they’ve been. And this is coming from somebody that picked Georgia to win the national title before last season. I thought they would roll. I thought they’d be a team that found a way to go all the way and get it done. And that wasn’t the case.” Look, some of that’s on Carson Beck, no doubt.
But ain’t no way anybody saw the receiver room leading the country in drops. Losing Brock Bowers to the league? Man, that hurt—way worse than folks thought it would. Then McConkey’s gone, and Cedric Van Pran headed to the NFL too. Georgia lost a whole lot from last season, and they just didn’t restock like everybody figured they would.
If you’re looking for optimism or positivity, Paul Finebaum ain’t your guy. The man stays ready to throw some cold water on any Dawg hype. On the Always College Football podcast, he basically said, “They had so many disappointing moments … But there were just so many decisions made, and talking to the fans every day, Greg, whether it’s true or it’s imagined, they do not like Mike Bobo,” he said, straight-up refusing to put any money on Georgia reclaiming the throne in 2025. And let’s be real: when Finebaum talks, the college football world listens. In simple terms, he thinks Mike Bobo ain’t a Todd Monken-esque guy at offense.
Georgia Nation’s growing heat on Kirby Smart
This is where it gets messy. Smart and Bobo go way back, and their loyalty to each other is giving some fans Urban Meyer-at-Ohio-State flashbacks. Remember how Meyer’s downfall started when he prioritized friendships over actual results? On3’s Andy and Ari brought that up, saying, “It’s also the problem of hiring your friends, right? Like, if you hire your friend when things aren’t ideal, people are going to accuse you of being a loyalist.” They’re not saying Smart is about to crash and burn, but the warning signs are there. Georgia fans have been used to the penthouse lately, and now that they’re taking the stairs a bit, they’re definitely noticing the change.
And let’s talk about that frustration. “I have sensed something with Kirby,” Andy from On3 said, almost like he was peeking into the future. “I do feel like Georgia fans are starting to become frustrated with him for the first time in a long time.” Frustrated might be an understatement. Smart isn’t on the hot seat (yet), but the thermostat just clicked up a notch.
NCAA, College League, USA Football: CFP National Championship Head Coaches press conference, PK, Pressekonferenz Jan 8, 2023 Los Angeles, CA, USA Georgia Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart right speaks at TCU Horned Frogs coach Sonny Dykes watches during the 2023 CFP National Championship head coaches press conference at the Los Angeles Airport Marriott. Los Angeles Los Angeles Airport Marriott California United States, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xKirbyxLeex 20230108_tbs_al2_096
Georgia fans are low-key built different. When you’ve been eating filet mignon, you’re not about to accept a cold Big Mac without throwing a fit. The Athletic might say Kirby’s job is safe, but that doesn’t mean the Dawg Nation is happy. ESPN’s Bill Connelly even hit them with the stats: “This was Kirby Smart’s least scary Georgia team in quite a while.” And now? They’re replacing Beck, most of the O-line, and a dozen defensive dogs. That’s a lot of question marks for a team that’s supposed to be in ‘Natty or Bust’ mode.
Look, Georgia isn’t about to fall off a cliff. But this next season? It’s got major “prove it” energy. Smart isn’t in trouble yet. But the Dawgs have to be better on offense, and that means Bobo has to stop being the scapegoat or start proving the haters right. Either way, Georgia fans aren’t in the mood for another letdown.
Dawg Nation, it’s gut-check time. Either Mike Bobo gets this offense back on track with Gunner Stockton, or we might be talking about a new OC, nothing in between. And if Georgia fans start feeling like they’re back in Mark Richt territory? Oh boy. That’s a whole different level of smoke.
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