2011 Pre-Bowl Game Season Review

In July, I wrote a season preview for this UGA team from the point of view of an extremely confident, yet uneasy fan. I knew this team had the talent, and depth in the right areas, to compete from Day One, but fate hadn’t been on our side for quite some time. As I mentioned in the article, our pre-season title hopes in ’08 were cut short by crippling attrition (seventeen potential starters lost due to injury) and the lack of a defense. In ’09, injury caused a freshman Aaron Murray to redshirt as opposed to gaining valuable game experience, while the rushing attack was inconsistent. In 2010, a redshirt freshman Murray was thrown into the fire with his security blanket, AJ Green, suspended for the first four games of the season. Before this season, the team’s two leading rushers left the program, along with promising offensive lineman Brent Benedict. To the rest of the country, UGA was down and Mark Richt was on the way out, and at that point in time I couldn’t blame them for their sentiment.

Rather than debate with the fans that had little to no clue about the workings of our program, personnel, recruiting, staff changes, however, I documented my thoughts and, like the team, was rewarded handsomely.

What I got right

· It wasn’t like I went out on a huge limb by saying Aaron Murray may end up as the most prolific QB to ever come through Athens, but I didn’t expect him to break Matthew Stafford’s single-season touchdown record this soon. I knew he had the ability to “spread the ball around and put up points,” but I never would’ve imagined this stat; 12 different players have caught touchdowns for the Dawgs, four receivers have recorded at least 30 receptions.

· If you’re familiar with recruiting, returning personnel, and coaching philosophy, you probably saw the return of the Junkyard Dawgs coming a mile away. I remarked that the front seven would make the secondary’s job much easier and improve third-down defense. The defense improved from 79^th nationally to 2nd this year, a testament to the pieces finally coming together for the 3-4 scheme.

· I knew we’d have to score to keep up with Boise State and South Carolina. Sadly, Boise State was experienced on the defensive line while we were young on the offensive line. Aaron Murray proved he could throw with the best of them against South Carolina, but also gave up turnovers that changed the outcome of the game. It also doesn’t help that UGA was without ballhawk Bacarri Rambo for the Boise game, and would lose their starting inside linebackers by the South Carolina game.

· Last but not least, in July I said “I see no more than three losses in this team’s future,” and even though I knew it’d be tough to beat South Carolina early in the season, I still could see a return trip to the Dome in our future if we busted our asses for the remainder of the schedule.

What I got wrong

· Earlier in the year I was one of those guys who predicts a starter who had disappointed to lose his job to a incoming recruit, and it came back to haunt me. Cornelius Washington disappointed in 2010, and bounced back in a major way. Dude made life hell for many an offensive tackle this year. I thought Shawn Williams would eventually lose his starting spot to Corey Moore, but Williams proved me wrong and became perhaps the most improved player on defense. Hats off to these Dawgs for sticking it out.

The dark days this team has faced, specifically, the classes of 2009 and 2010 will do wonders for their resolve in the future. Aaron Murray will enter this spring as a first-team all SEC quarterback, with 12 SEC road starts under his belt. He’s faced some impressive defenses and showed flashes of brilliance in his greatest challenge so far, LSU’s absurdly talented and deep squad. Aside from being slightly streaky and turnover-prone, Murray has held his own against quality teams. Coach Will Friend’s unit showed great progress this year, and will return a core of solid contributors, and the 2011-2012 recruiting classes look to be ripe with O-line talent. The 2011 class featured five offensive linemen and the 2012 class will bring anywhere from three to five, including consensus five-star left tackle John Theus.

Turning point

There are so many moments I could mention here. Punching the ball in from the goal line on Rocky Top was huge, as well as Malcolm Mitchell’s long receptions earlier in the game. The goal-line stand after a blocked punt to avoid a letdown vs. Vandy, as well as Marlon Brown’s game-clinching score vs. Kentucky are plays that probably would have gone the other way in previous years, and are a testament to the time these guys put into the new strength-and-conditioning regimen as well as the team’s resolve.

Play of the year

It’s pretty hard to argue with the significance of either of these: Michael Bennett and/or Tavarres King’s touchdowns vs. UF on 4^th down, Quintavious Harrow’s big hit on the kickoff or Rambo’s pick-six vs. Auburn, or Jarvis Jones’ sack to seal the Florida game. However, my personal favorite comes from the same game. Honorable mention goes out to Sanders Commings and Amarlo Herrera for their HUGE hit on Jeff Demps at the goal line in the 3^rd quarter. (At the 5:30 mark here : http://www.youtube.com/prsonmike#p/u/3/bx2xA4_H4Z8) There were plenty of great plays being made on defense all day, but that hit sent a shock through Dawg Nation and pretty much broke the spirit of the Gator offense. It seemed like speedsters a la Jeff Demps and Chris Rainey had been killing us for an eternity, it was great to see our guys get a good, clean shot at one of their scatbacks.

Superlatives

Offensive MVP – No question here: Aaron Murray.

Defensive MVP – None here either, Jarvis Jones led the SEC in sacks and tackles for loss, and could break David Pollack’s single-season sack record. He’s a great player and an even better person, helping this team on the field as well as in the locker room.

Offensive Newcomer – Isaiah Crowell and Malcolm Mitchell. A ton of credit should be given to Michael Bennett for the tremendous plays he made this year, but these true freshmen, in large part, lived up to the hype. Much will be made about Crowell’s durability and alleged attitude issues, but most won’t take into account that our depth at tailback might have been the worst in the SEC coming into this season.

I’m sure Isaiah never saw the departures of Washaun Ealey and mentor Caleb King coming, and combined with the fact that he never got this many carries (against SEC competition, no less) in high school caused a great deal of distress towards the end of the year. The suspension is all on him; however he has since apologized and deserves a second chance. The fans’ backlash has been sickening, considering the kid played with wrist, knee, and ankle injuries all year and still managed to get close to 1000 yards rushing as a freshman. Saddest part about the trash some fans are spewing is that it’s fueled in large part by rumors as well as Crowell’s easygoing sideline demeanor. However, all these problems could be remedied as soon as January, as the Dawgs look to bring in two solid backups in this year’s recruiting class. One of which, Keith Marshall, will enroll in his school of choice in January.

Malcolm Mitchell is even more low-key than Crowell; the kid doesn’t have a Facebook or a Twitter page. The true freshman from Valdosta led the team in receiving for the first half of the season until he was sidelined with a hamstring injury. It'll be fun to watch him bounce back from that disappointing drop in the LSU game.

Defensive Newcomer – Amarlo Herrera. One of the first commits of the 2011 class who helped hold it together during a tough season, Herrera was thrown into the fire along with Michael Gilliard when Alec Ogletree and Christian Robinson went down. The guy just bleeds red and black, and has been saying for months now that “UGA has a heartbeat.” Damn good Dawg.

Most improved (offense) – Carlton Thomas. After struggling to get touches in his first three seasons, Thomas came on strong to finish second on the team in rushing.. Although he struggled through multiple suspensions, I can’t ignore his contributions on the field. His runs against Auburn were greatly needed, even though the lead was never in danger.

Most improved (defense) – Shawn Williams/Michael Gilliard. I can’t be any more proud than I am of these South Georgia Dawgs. Many fans expressed doubts about the safeties earlier, but by the end of the year, Shawn Williams emerged as an all-around beast. Coming up to smack ballcarriers as well as causing breakup after breakup, Williams even started a game at inside linebacker.

Mike Gilliard is another Dawg who was greatly rewarded for his perseverance. In May 2010, Gilliard was thinking of transferring but stuck around, and is proving to be one of the best young linebackers in the conference after jumping into the starting lineup, finishing third on the team in tackles, notching 7 tackles for loss, two sacks and an interception.

Spring sleeper – Ken Malcome. Another message board pariah, Malcome quit the team due to lack of playing time only to return the next day. A powerful downhill runner who had been slowed by nagging injuries, Malcome clearly thought he was more ready to play than the coaches did, and may have proved himself right with the carries he got. In the Kentucky game, he lost a fumble but showed burst and a knack for keeping his legs churning after contact. In the Georgia Tech game, the running game struggled for three quarters until they put the ball in Boo’s hands. Malcome shouldered the load and preserved a Dawg victory. We could see a great deal of Boo in the Outback Bowl, and I’m anxious to see how he’ll stack up against another top-five ranked defense.

It's a Cold World, Charlie Brown: Thoughts before Florida

I felt it getting closer every day this week. It’s comparable to that sinking feeling you get after you realize the cool summer breezes are slowly turning into sharp fall chills, which is usually followed by a scratchy throat and the flu. In my youth, I entertained the idea that my acknowledgement and anxiety towards the thought of the impending flu contributed to the actual sickness. Never mind the fact that I was an unruly-ass kid who didn’t care much for stuffy coats and jackets when there were schoolyard games to play, I was convinced that I had that much control over my body.

By the same token, it seems that our beloved Dawgs have taken the annual Florida game with the same level of apprehension for the past couple of decades. Every year, we dread its arrival, and for a while it seemed the leaders of our program (players, coaches, and athletic directors) felt content with crossing our fingers and hoping for a change instead of preparing. That is, until a year ago. Sure, we lost, but with the players’ efforts in mind, the loss was a matter of mistimed, improper execution and downright bad luck as opposed to uninspired play or utter intimidation.

You saw the effort these guys put forth in plenty of plays: Take, for example, Christian Robinson diving over the line of scrimmage to take down Chris Rainey, A.J. Green stonewalling Gator DBs with multiple stiff-arms, Rambo trying to scoop a UF fumble and take it the distance (he wasn’t able to recover, but that’s beside the point), and Aaron Murray’s final two drives, the last of which included two of the most clutch completions of the year. The heart these guys showed in those 60 minutes exceeded what most Dawg fans have seen in a couple of years, yet for an entire year, they’ve had nothing to show for it.

This UGA squad is still pretty young, but it’d be a mistake to measure this team’s maturity by game experience. It may just be my naiveté speaking, but as of now I feel these Dawgs have grown enough to shatter the mental block this game has presented for so long. Just like I eventually learned to manage these frigid New England autumns and winters in the past four years, I believe this team can show the world how they’ve adapted and (hopefully) counteracted the Jacksonville jinx on Saturday.

Matching the Gators’ layers upon layers of program insulation should, God-willing, finally level the playing field for a rivalry that hasn’t been anything but one-sided since the 80s. By program insulation, I mean an accountable and effective strength and conditioning staff, opportunistic scheduling, along with energetic and competent assistant coaches. Now that these oversights have been corrected the teams have a chance to line up and play a game in the absence of lingering, yet oh-so relevant questions like “What if UGA had the bye-week advantage instead of Florida? What if the game wasn’t in Jacksonville?”

If the Dawgs play to their potential on Saturday, this game could be in hand by the 3^rd quarter. If they play with the passion and focus that the recent direction of the rivalry calls for, it could be a downright massacre. However, this is a rivalry game, and history has shown us that recent trends are better off being thrown out of the equation. With that said, I’m expecting a 60-minute battle against a Florida defense with an extremely talented front seven and a chip on their shoulders. I have the utmost confidence in our defense, from the line to the secondary; therefore, if somehow Aaron Murray can keep a clean jersey for the majority of the game, Saturday will be an amazing day, and likely a sign of good things to come in Bulldog Nation.

We waited....we saw, now what?

A matchup against Mississippi State has rarely served as a suitable barometer of the prospects of any UGA team, but the Dawgs got a win they needed against another team with their backs against the wall on Saturday, holding out for a 24-10 victory over the Bizarro Dawgs behind an amazing defensive effort. As usual, there were causes for concern to go along with the glimpses of greatness between the Hedges. The defense has extended its impressive play, they haven't allowed an offensive touchdown in three straight games. After two losses to start the season, the Dawgs have obviously made strides since their embarrassing 2010 campaign, but will it be enough to win the crucial SEC East games? Headed into the mid-way point of the season, many questions have been answered, but what new concerns could haunt the Dawgs down the stretch?

You believed the hype?

• Isaiah Crowell's conditioning - I've seen this come up a few times in the past few weeks and I can't seem to wrap my head around it. Aside from a few carries, I can't remember any times where Crowell hadn't done the most with what the offensive line gave him. In fact, I believe his first negative rushes of the season came in the game Saturday. That says as much about the line as it does Crowell. If the line can stay healthy and keep opening holes, however, there will be no need for Crowell to get 30 carries. Richard Samuel and Carlton Thomas have been running the best of their careers in my opinion. I hate it that Samuel doesn't have a lower center of gravity, but I like that we're sending him on screens, I think that playcall has a lot of potential.

• Inconsistent playcalling - Ever since Urban Meyer burst onto the scene, destroying cupcakes by 50, fans have gone crazy about getting some style points towards the end of the game. Since we've been unable to get this done against SEC opponents, most of the blame has fallen at the hands of Richt and Bobo. However, we've seen our most beloved offensive playmakers just fail to execute in some cases. Dropped balls, fumbled snaps, and slow-developing blocks have led to plenty of points being left on the field, and at this point in time, we need every single one of them.

• Cornelius Washington's disappearance - At some point last year, CornWash fell out of favor among Dawg fans, like most hyped recruits with ridiculous measurables do when they don't put up god-like numbers. In the past couple of weeks, Washington exhibited his NFL potential against pretty decent offensive linemen, even knocking Mississippi State behemoth James Carmon out of the game temporarily after bull-rushing him on the way to a sack Saturday. Now if only he could stay eligible...

Something Wicked This Way Comes

As usual, some areas we thought would be team strengths have struggled. Some areas are less concerning, while some lead me to believe that this home stretch won't be as easy as the media has made it out to be.

• Murray's regression - While it's much too early to call it a slump, I'd be lying if I said i wasn't a bit disappointed in Murray's play so far. He's done great on paper, leading us to one of the top passing offenses in the SEC, but some questionable decisions have got me a little worried about the schedule coming up. The main factors contributing to Murray's "decline" being included in this post is the shaky pass protection as well as youthful receiving corps. He's being hit too much, and as a result, is getting a little anxious and out of rhythm, which is paramount with our inexperienced receiving corps.

• Special teams – I’m not calling for Blair Walsh to be benched just yet, but I wouldn’t be opposed to him getting some alone time on the practice field with an iPod, some Bose headphones and piped-in crowd noise. If our offense can’t punch the ball in the endzone against what should be a hungry Tennessee unit, with a bitter taste in their mouths from last year’s rout, the pressure’s all on him. I’m sure the Vols are going to try to ice him, I wouldn’t be surprised if they sent extra guys to block punts this week, I’m positive we’ll see a fake kick on Saturday. I hope the coaches realize just how important special teams are in road games like this. One or two screw-ups will take us out the game. From the first five games, looks like defense and special teams will have to be our trademark, which leads me to my next, and least intense, concern:

• Butterfingers – Maybe it’s just the fact that Murray’s rhythm has been a little disrupted thanks to defending pass rushes, but there have been bad drops throughout the receiving corps since the Boise State game. Maybe they’re just contagious. From veterans to freshmen, the Dawg receivers have to tighten this up if they want to take some pressure off the offensive line and force defenders to stop crowding the box. On the other hand, the secondary’s tremendous improvement has been slightly tarnished by the few pick-sixes that were dropped in the past few games.

As I said earlier, defense and special teams will have to be our trademark. I think our secondary is playing as well as any other in the country, and the stats back that up: 2nd in the SEC, 14^th nationally in passing defense. 5^th nationally in receiving yards allowed per game. Tied for 4^th in the country in interceptions. But just imagine the outcomes of the last few games if a few of those drops don’t happen. Defensive touchdowns can derail an opposing quarterback’s psyche. The front seven is bringing the pain to everyone not named Kellen Moore, all we need is one of the DBs to make the right break, week in and week out, and we’ll officially be a force to be reckoned with. I’m hoping for a pick-six or scoop-and-score this weekend. Either that, or a few good shots on a certain wideout and I would be sold on this team’s future, regardless of the offense’s output or that call from Bobo you saw coming a mile away.

Grappling match in the Grove: Thoughts after Ole Miss

Our beloved Dawgs move to 2-2 (1-1 in SEC play) on the year with a 27-13 win over Ole Miss that was excruciatingly closer than the score would indicate.

For a solid quarter and a half, this looked to be another frustrating nail-biter for Richt and the boys. The offensive line wasn't giving Murray much time to get passes off, Mitchell and Bennett showed their youth with costly drops, and even Orson Charles got in on the act in the absence of Marlon Brown and Rantavious Wooten. After showing promise in the first 1.5 quarters, the defense and special teams started to give up easy yardage and were burned by a reverse pass, onside kick, and two punt returns for touchdown (one which was overturned due to penalty). Combined with a bobbled catch by Orson that turned into an interception, it looked like we were in a Magnolia state mess for a while there. Not to mention Lou Groza award finalist Blair Walsh missed three field goals.

However, the defense flexed its muscle for the most part, against an opponent with a pulse. They flew around as a unit all game, with Jarvis Jones, Bacarri Rambo, Sanders Commings, Branden Smith, Abry Jones, and Brandon Boykin coming together to lead an effort that limited the Rebels to 8 first downs and 183 total yards of offense. If, by some amazing stroke of luck, Christian Robinson is able to play against Dan Mullen and Mississippi State next week, I feel extremely confident about our chances to shut down their running game. I can only hope that the defense can work on staying disciplined and sniffing out misdirection plays over the next week. If we do so we've got a great shot to upset the Bizarro Bulldogs and His Highness, former Florida offensive coordinator and future ruler of the SEC Dan Mullen.

Isaiah Crowell continues to perform as advertised, with career highs in carries and yards (30, 147), this game serves as a testament to the coaches' goal to mold Crowell into a productive workhorse back. He'll face a stiff test against Mississippi State next week. Our offensive line did pretty well in run blocking, and if Chris Burnette can return soon the unit will only improve, barring injury. I'd like to see Gates get a shot at RT, with Glenn, Lee, Jones, and Burnette at the other spots. I'm concerned with how Justin Anderson may hold up against rushers like Fletcher Cox from Mississippi State, Jacques Smith from Tennessee, and Ronald Powell from Florida.

This game wasn't close enough to warrant extreme panic, but it was competitive enough to let the players know that they still are a loss away from being cast off into the proverbial SEC basement, as many are waiting for them to do. Crowell and Malcolm Mitchell will be freshmen All-SEC at the least, they both showed great toughness on Saturday, as did Amarlo Herrera. I feel good about our chances going into the Mississippi State game, but there's still some things we could improve on, and even though a lot of fans have been nitpicking about the game, I think it's obvious to the players that this game will serve as fuel for preparation for next week's game.

Love the Future

I'm sure you've heard it already, but last night's Dawg Night may have been the most impressive UGA recruiting event in recent years. Five-star tackle John Theus was the first domino to drop. Even though it was the worst-kept secret in SEC recruiting that Theus would go to Georgia, it was shocking that he ended the process this early, and in the manner he did. Subsequently, he told stud 2013 QB Brice Ramsey his plans, who happens to be close friends with '13 South Carolina WR Tramel Terry and '13 Florida phenom RB Derrick Henry. The result was four gigantic commitments for the Mike Bobo and future Dawg offenses in one night.

I can't remember an offensive line prospect ranked higher than Theus committing to the Dawgs in a long time. Derrick Henry is one of those mind-boggling athletes from Florida, the type that usually opts for one of the Big 3 Sunshine State schools. Tramel Terry is an explosive receiver that will make a great target for LeMay and Ramsey. Theus will anchor the offensive line, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him recruit another bell cow to join him on the line before its all said and done.

The significance of this, might you ask? Well, for one, it shows these younger players' faith in the future of the coaching staff. The 2013 commits all cited that they were extremely fond of Coach Richt as well as their future teammates. This is a great sign, not solely under the condition that Richt will still be at UGA at that time. Terry, Ramsey, and Henry are already close and recruiting for the Dawgs. Terry and Ramsey's fathers have been friends for years, so they've struck up a close relationship. Ramsey and Henry live 17 minutes away from each other according to Mapquest, and have apparently formed a bond of their own. John Theus will join his older brother Nathan in Athens, along with a great deal of friends who signed in 2011 with him.

The ties that bind these prospects together only stokes my optimism about the 2012 and '13 classes, and the afterglow of yesterday's glorious evening only fuels that fire. These guys have committed early enough to fall in love with Athens as a city, the UGA team and fanbase, as well as the school itself. They're already recruiting for their class, in the worst-case scenario, these could be the same guys holding the class together in the event of Richt's departure. While I'm not naive enough to believe all four of these guys will still be on board 18 months from now, I commend them on their early decisions to end the process early and hope they maintain their commitments.

What I learned from LeCollapse

It's a shame to watch, really.

For the past 8 years, the sports world has waited for LeBron James to finally reach his full potential and make it to the promised land, but as of last night, he's yet to get it together.

For an athlete blessed with such an incredible combination of basketball IQ and God-given talent, it's almost painful. The general sentiment I've taken from logical fans of LeBron's game is similar to that of a parent who's seen their child screw up so much that it doesn't even faze them anymore. That's extremely frustrating when you think of his situation. However, I believe that the Heat's loss and LeBron's shortcomings can prove to be a valuable lesson to our youth.

This past semester, I took a class that changed my outlook on the future of Black youth in America for the better. The course, Interdisciplinary Approaches to African-American Studies, really opened my eyes to what is known as "the Black experience in America." Every Thursday morning at 9:25, three close friends and I would trudge to class to contribute to discussions that usually lasted for two hours or so. From resulting discussions emerged a concept that deeply touched me and spoke to my experience in the poor public schools of Southwest Georgia.

In my opinion, the period between fifth grade and seventh grade is the most vulnerable period in a student's development. Given the shift in academic difficulty combined with the changes that adolescence presents to children, this is the period where the A students usually separate themselves from the B students, who separate themselves from C students, who, along with the rest of the bunch, eventually separate themselves from opportunities for higher learning. It's been said for years in academic circles that in the US, public schools' fourth and fifth grade standardized test scores are used as a factor in determining the capacity of state prisons.

This thought doesn't shock me as much as it did when my mom first told me, but the fact that prisons remain overcrowded is still sickening to me. In one of those late-night discussions that college friendships are built upon, me and three or four friends spoke on the topic: the breaking of the spirit of the Black student. One by one, each of us recounted our experiences, which were all eerily similar despite coming from four different states and backgrounds.

One of my friends attended a Detroit Catholic school for two years, where he recalled the feelings of stress and disbelief he felt at the hands of his teachers, who seemed hell-bent on lumping him into the B-C student group, when the only factor that would separate his work from what was considered A-quality by the assignments' rubrics would be infuriatingly miniscule, like "It's really good, but not just there yet." After countless occasions like this, and tense meetings between him, his parents, and the teachers, they decided the school just wasn't for them. He would go on to graduate and is now a History major.

What will happen to the kids who don't have the supporting cast that my friends and I have? Most of them tend to settle for their assumed mediocrity, languishing until they couldn't even convince themselves that they had any sort of talent to begin with.

After attending public schools in five different counties in South Georgia during this period, I've seen the aftermath of the broken spirit in each school system: contagious apathy, defensiveness that morphs into bull-headedness, rooted in a fear of rejection and failure that paralyzes students until they settle for giving just enough effort to get by. It's not that these students lack the ability; they just have been deprived of sources of positive affirmation in the areas that will allow them to prosper in the future.

The part that annoys me the most about this is that a lot of the kids I went to school with were in denial in regards to their responsibilities as students, and only seemed to think that the schools owed them. This problem is not strictly racial; the handful of white students I went to school with exhibited the same symptoms, because they too came from poor, ‘dysfunctional’ families.

These atmospheres nurture the stagnancy. School systems in impoverished communities with virtually no job opportunities aren't able to hire competent administrators or qualified teachers, the teachers they do hire have no passion for the job or concern for the students’ well being, and as a result the children suffer. My parents were two of five teachers at my high school that I can say genuinely cared about their jobs and the students’ well-being.

While watching LeBron’s performance in this series and post-game interview last night, I noticed that he shared many traits with my former classmates. Even though James expressed disappointment, he seemed to shake off any regrets about his performance as well as criticisms of his game. This stubbornness and denial will only impede his progress in years to come. Even though a great deal of his lackluster performance can be attributed to the Mavericks’ defensive efforts, it looked downright shaky and uninspired. At this time, it seems that LeBron is afraid to make the effort to break into next level of success.

There’s a bevy of factors that could’ve played into this conclusion. It’s obvious at this point that LeBron is getting the full wrath of sports media at this time. He’s been trashed at no end by sportscasters, in some cases, obsessively. He’s been ridiculed by fans for the past ten months for attempting to improve his chances of getting a ring. He’s had to deal with the media unfairly scrutinizing the sex lives of the two women closest to him. We know by now that his family situation, as well as the media circus surrounding him isn’t ordinary by any stretch of the imagination. The immaturity in regards to the media is obviously a direct result the lack of a true supporting class, his comprised mainly of childhood friends and family.

The eager anticipation of his failure in this series is disconcerting to say the least, but the reaction of the public is even more disturbing. Everyone’s content to say “he knew this would happen” as they stand back and throw dirt over his name, feeling their sentiments are justified since LeBron sacrificed his humanity once he signed a ultimillion dollar contract.

At this point, it seems LeBron’s spirit is broken and that he’s the only person who can quiet his critics. He can’t prosper by freezing up in crunch time, he’ll remain a slave to public opinion and self-destruct, as we saw Terrelle Pryor do, unless he comes to terms with the fact that he needs help and accepts the constructive criticism that members of the media like Mike Wilbon are trying to give him. Likewise, students will continue to shun their potential if they remain blind to the fact that they’re settling for being mediocre in fear of failing.

Friedrich Hegel and Frederick Douglass both stated that what separates a slave from a free man is the acknowledgement of their own capacity of reason, and the willingness to pay the ultimate price for their liberation, which in this case is not premised in the oppression of others, but separation from an earlier version of oneself. It’s hard enough for someone to become accountable and receptive to criticism at a late stage in life, but without a stable supporting cast, it may be virtually impossible to place this task on a teenager.

There are millions of LeBrons in public schools across America. 99 percent of them weren’t blessed with the freakish athletic ability that will render academic success a secondary priority, and even more of them have even less stable supporting casts than James. When these kids’ don’t receive positive affirmation for showing maturity, accountability, and a desire to better themselves, they eventually fail. And though we won’t be informed of it each time we turn on our TVs, but we do see the results every day. The proliferation of an increasingly immature, unaccountable, defiant and mistakenly entitled culture will only result in more athletes being eviscerated by the popular media, more children coasting their way to mediocrity, and otherwise intelligent human beings continuing to fall short of the greatness they could attain.

The SEC's Newcomers to Know

Before last season, names like Marcus Lattimore, Michael Dyer, and Cam Newton were hardly being thrown around outside of the Southeast. By January, these guys had earned the country’s respect. The SEC’s recruiting efforts in the past five years have only been surpassed by their rabid following, and this year is no different. Here are ten SEC newcomers that, barring injury, you may be getting acquainted with by the end of the year.

10. Anthony Johnson – LSU:

It’s not often that freshman defensive linemen make an impact in college football, but if anyone can it’s the New Orleans native they call The Freak. In addition to being quick off the snap, Johnson possesses the non-stop motor that defensive coaches cherish in the trenches, and the versatility to rush the passer from the outside as well.

9. Ray Drew – Georgia:

This Thomasville, GA native currently serves as the pastor of his hometown Paradise Missionary Baptist Church, but this fall he’ll only be baptizing quarterbacks between the hedges. At 6’5, 250 pounds, Drew will play Will linebacker at UGA. He’s freakishly strong and explosive for his size, any questions about his talent were answered at this year’s Army All-American game, where he racked up 2.5 sacks going against the top talent in the country.

8. Maurice Couch – Tennessee:

A Garden City (KS) Community College transfer, Couch will wreak havoc early on the line in Knoxville. Standing at 6’2, 295, Couch will likely gain a starting spot in the fall. An explosive lineman with experience playing in both 3-4 and 4-3 schemes, Couch’s arsenal is a mixture of power and versatility, Vols defensive line coach Lance Thompson has to be excited about Couch’s potential.

7. Mike Blakely – Florida:

Blakely doesn’t have the speed or quickness of Urban Meyer-era Florida backs, but in the new pro-style offense, he has a chance to make a great contribution to the Gators’ backfield this year, especially if redshirt freshman Mack Brown hasn’t recovered fully from injury. Blakely has a low center of gravity, and combined with his excellent agility makes him a threat in a Charlie Weis offense.

6. Zach Mettenberger – LSU:

Mettenberger transferred to LSU after being dismissed from the University of Georgia amidst legal trouble. A prototypical quarterback (6’5 245) who seems to have a rocket launcher attached to his shoulder, Mettenberger was listed behind senior Jordan Jefferson on the depth chart after transferring from Butler County Community College in Kansas. Though Jefferson has the most experience, I believe Mettenberger has a good chance of seizing the starting job by the end of the year, given his physical tools. LSU consistently has a stable of great receivers, and Les Miles knows he has an ace in the hole should Jordan Jefferson struggle before the Bayou Bengals’ conference schedule begins.

5. Demetrius Hart – Alabama:

The U.S. Army All-American Player of the Year, Hart switched commitments from Michigan to Alabama following the coaching change in Ann Arbor. An extremely agile, shifty runner, Hart could be the secret weapon in the Tide backfield, a great complement to Trent Richardson and Eddie Lacy. He has the potential to be a weapon in the return game from the time he steps foot on campus.

4. Jesse Williams – Alabama:

After losing Marcel Dareus to the NFL Draft, the Crimson Tide will be looking for playmakers on the defensive line. Brisbane, Australia native Jesse Williams fits the bill. This 6’3, 310 pound nose tackle initially spent his free time playing basketball and rugby until the age of 15. Since then, he’s been hooked. Once he gets on campus after transferring from Arizona Western Community College, Williams will anchor the Crimson Tide line as they look to rebound from a 10-3 season. With experienced linebackers and an extremely talented secondary behind him, look for the Tide’s D to put together a few shutouts this season.

3. Jonathan Jenkins – UGA:

This mammoth nose tackle is originally from Meriden, Connecticut, but spent two years at Gulf Coast Community College in Mississippi. This junior college served as a pit stop for Terrence Cody before he became a mountain of a man at Alabama. Gulf Coast’s coach Steve Campbell says the 6’4, 350 pound Jenkins “moves better than Cody” and has better mobility. If that doesn’t convince you—get this, Jenkins played fullback in high school, and by his own account, he runs a 4.9 40-yard dash. Expect Jenkins to team up with Kwame Geathers to plug up the middle of Todd Grantham’s 3-4 defense in Athens.

Link to 40-yard dash quote: http://twitter.com/#!/Bigjohn481/status/56079231884599296

2. Isaiah Crowell – Georgia:

A shy kid from Columbus, Georgia, Crowell is the crown jewel of Mark Richt’s Dream Team recruiting class. All eyes in the Peach State will be on Crowell once he arrives on campus in June. At a solid 5’11 205, he’s been called a stronger C.J. Spiller; his highlight film is a must-watch. Crowell possesses all the tools necessary to become an every-down back in the SEC after spending time in a legitimate strength and conditioning program. He can catch the ball out of the backfield; he has excellent vision, balance, agility and breakaway speed. Crowell has a great chance to overthrow Caleb King and Washaun Ealey for the starting spot at tailback for the Dawgs this year.

1. Jadeveon Clowney – South Carolina:

The man, the myth, the legend—Clowney’s reputation precedes him; there’s a Twitter page dedicated to his everyday exploits, such as breaking vices while attempting to crack his knuckles, killing birds by throwing them off cliffs, ripping tags off mattresses, etc. Standing at 6’6, 247, Clowney runs a 4.5 forty yard dash and his first step off the line of scrimmage is insane. He’s such a presence on the football field that the arrow used to indicate which player to watch in his highlight film is virtually unnecessary. Clowney will make plays early and often in Columbia, Expect him to play a large role in their campaign for the SEC title.