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Why Danny Kanell’s commentary about Georgia football is misguided

Georgia coach Kirby Smart is looking to guide the Bulldogs to another memorable season.
Harry How/Getty Images
Andrew Astleford

Welcome to Good Day, UGA, your one-stop shop for Georgia football news and takes. Check us out every weekday morning for everything you need to know about Georgia football, recruiting, basketball and more.

Danny Kanell wants Georgia to prove itself in 2018

If you’re not tired of Danny Kanell, Georgia fans, you will be soon.

In case you missed it, the SiriusXM analyst and noted SEC critic chimed in about the Bulldogs’ outlook for the year and challenged Georgia to prove a memorable 2017 campaign wasn’t a fluke. DawgNation’s Brandon Adams discussed Kanell’s comments on Friday. But they’re worth further examination, because they provide a belly-busting laugh. And hey, it’s the first week of July, so we need to entertain ourselves somehow.

Frankly, any thought that Georgia won’t continue momentum gained in Kirby Smart’s second season in Athens is ridiculous.

Think about it: What about the Bulldogs’ 13-2 finish that included an SEC title, a Rose Bowl victory and a near national championship screamed “fluke” to you? What evidence is there to suggest that Georgia might stumble this fall? Which SEC East rivals can keep the Bulldogs from another appearance in the SEC Championship Game?

For Dawg Nation, the sound of crickets is sweet.

Sure, there’s marquee talent to replace. Running backs Nick Chubb and Sony Michel are gone. Linebackers Roquan Smith and Lorenzo Carter have moved on. Offensive lineman Isaiah Wynn will be hard to replace.

But Georgia’s roster is deep, and the Bulldogs are primed to be strong for a while. They’re the SEC East’s Tesla Roadster among a bunch of MINI Coopers.

If they avoid a self-inflicted flat tire, they’ll find themselves back at Mercedes-Benz Stadium with a College Football Playoff berth at stake.

Bottom line: Kanell’s caution is misguided, especially when considering Georgia’s so-called threats within its division. Florida must relearn that whole offense thing under coach Dan Mullen. Tennessee must climb from the crater left by former coach Butch Jones. South Carolina is intriguing, but the Bulldogs have superior talent. And don’t waste precious brain power considering Missouri, Kentucky and Vanderbilt as possible conference contenders.

Last year, the Bulldogs proved they were ahead of schedule under Smart. They’re primed to be among the nation’s best once more.

That’s no fluke.

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The Opening Finals

DawgNation’s Jeff Sentell spent the weekend in Frisco, Texas, at The Opening Finals 2018. The event showcases 162 of the country’s top prospects. The players were selected after a national tour of regional qualifying events to compete against their peers in drills, competition and 7-on-7 games.

Check out a few notable clips from the event below, as seen by Sentell.

Georgia tabbed heavy favorite in SEC East

Prepare to see Georgia jump atop multiple SEC East projections.

With the calendar flipping to July, we’ll see a flood of preseason predictions in the not-too-distant future. On Saturday, SEC Country published its 2018 outlook, and the Bulldogs received 18 of 20 first-place votes as part of its SEC East predictions. South Carolina and Florida followed with one first-place vote apiece.

For what it’s worth, Alabama received 16 of 20 votes to win the SEC title. Georgia had two votes in the category. Bulldogs running back Zamir White tied with Alabama defensive back Patrick Surtain Jr. in Freshman of the Year voting.

Of course, all predictions at this point should be placed in the proper context. (Hint: They mean next to nothing.) But Georgia will see many pleasing projections as the countdown to the fall continues.

Odds and Ends

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