So for both these coaches, different reasons, I think that Florida, South Carolina is a pretty interesting game to give us a little bit of a barometer about where the SEC's going in terms of one guy trying to keep his job, and the case of, uh, John Summerall trying to demonstrate that his Gators team is truly a playoff contender.

Yeah, I mean s- Carolina blew a 17-point lead against Kentucky.

I mean, the fact they had a 17-point lead tells you something with their best players suspended.

But you just wonder, to your point, how these coaches manage their locker rooms and, you know, where is Shane Beamer at with his team, and how well has he been able to manage that adversity and the talk about, you know, his imminent firing, uh, versus Summerall.

And, you know, Summerall had losses at, at Tulane and Troy, but you're right, this is a different stage.

There's a microscope.

I'm, I'm still ...

Well, if that's going to be true, if LSU is still a major factor in the national conversation, a game like this against an upstart Kentucky is a pretty good chance to prove that, right?

Yeah

... you know, lost by 10 at home to Kentucky and got housed by LSU, and they're one of the most talented, um, you know, from a recruiting standpoint.

So it, it's a brutal league.

Um, you know, it's, it's hard to say who's gonna emerge.

I mean, it's...

People are asking me.

I said, "Well, there's two seasons." I mean, y- for example, the, the Alabama team that came between the hedges and ended Georgia's 33 game home win streak last year, n-not, not the same Alabama that Indiana played in the playoffs, right?

I agree.

These are no doubters in these games.

Well, I don't know about Ole Miss and LSU.

I mean, LSU came back and tied that game, and that was kind of one of those emotional games at Ole Miss against their old coach early in the season against an LSU team with 48 transfers.

I don't know if I think that Ole Miss can sustain, because you saw him get humbled by Florida.

Florida-Missouri, Jack, I think there was kind of like that Oregon-Oklahoma State game.

Something was amiss there.

There was a tip-off.

This is the first time in history, Mike, and we're talking history, that Michigan, Penn State, and Michigan State are all 0-2 in the Big Ten.

What is it like over in Athens right now?

I think there's guarded optimism.

You know, Vanderbilt did some good things against Georgia, moved the ball some.

I mean, it was a 24-point win against a Vandy team that won 10 games last year.

But at the end of the day, it's Vanderbilt.

And a 24-point win over Vanderbilt doesn't scare anybody.

It was only a 7-point game at halftime.

just as we inch closer mike you've you've always got such an interesting perspective lay it out for us there is a weather issue that is being monitored very very closely even if the weather is a factor but not an overriding factor what what impact if any does that have

Mike, offensively for Georgia with Gunner Stockton, the weapons he has, have your expectations, have they been met as far as explosiveness, the amount of explosive we've seen for the first part of the season? What does that look like in your eyes, and do you think we see that versus Alabama on Saturday night?

Yeah, you know, kind of about what I figured.

You know, they flashed.

They made some big plays against Vanderbilt and Arkansas.

Alabama's not those guys.

The big transfer, you know, from Georgia Tech, it's been a flop.

Guy's been injured since the first play, first series of the Arkansas game.

I know a lot of things have to happen for you to win the national championship, but just overall, do you think this conference is stronger today than it was last year at this time?

Mike, offensively for Georgia with Gunner Stockton, the weapons he has, have your expectations, have they been met as far as explosiveness, the amount of explosive we've seen through, for the first part of the season? What does that look like in your eyes, and do you think we see that versus Alabama on Saturday night?

Yeah, you know, kind of about what I figured.

Um, you know, they, they flashed.

They made some big plays against Vanderbilt and Arkansas.

Um, Alabama's not those guys.

The big transfer, you know, from Georgia Tech, it's been a flop.

Guy's been injured since the first play, first, uh, series of the Arkansas game.

And I know a lot of things have to happen for you to win the national championship, but just overall, do you think this conference is stronger today than it was last year at this time?

Uh, but what do you think of Florida statement win against Ole Miss, now on the road? How real is this John Sumrall-led Florida team here at the moment?

Well, they've won at Auburn already, you know, so that helps.

This isn't their first road game.

Look, when you got a guy like Jayden Ball that can run the ball, that, that solves a lot of problems, you know? Until somebody can slow this guy down, uh, you know, Aaron Philo's got a big advantage there at quarterback, having a solid run game that's keeping them on schedule and good down and distance situations.

You know, the Florida defense has to show up at some point, you know, before we really consider the Gators a championship contender.

You know, Missouri backs firmly to the wall after losing at Mississippi State last week.

So I expect this to be another really good football game.

I mean, it, it's not, I mean, it's not Tennessee Tech, it's Tennessee, right?

And, my goodness gracious, John Matera had a rough day.

Yeah, Georgia defense is, you know, looking pretty good so far.

And they did.

They gave John Matera a hard time.

And, you know, Oklahoma's defense is pretty good, too.

I'll just say that.

I'm not ready to completely write off the Sooners, especially with a week off to – fix some things in a robbery game with Texas when anything can and has happened in past years.

Do you sense that Shane Beamer is on his last few weeks as the head coach of the Gamecocks, or do you think he just kind of resets everything and they give him another year?

Just some of your takeaways from what Georgia did so well, and my goodness gracious, John Matera had a rough day.

Yeah, Georgia defense is looking pretty good so far, and they did.

They gave John Matera a hard time, and You know, Oklahoma's defense is pretty good, too.

I'll just say that.

I'm not ready to completely write off the Sooners, especially with a week off to fix some things in a rivalry game with Texas when anything can and has happened in past years.

But, yeah, you know, I think we learned a little bit about Georgia.

We knew that there was some warts on offense.

Do you sense that Shane Beamer is on his last few weeks as the head coach of the Gamecocks, or do you think he just kind of resets everything and they give him another year?

Did you learn anything that you did not think before that game? It looks like both of those teams, very talented Ole Miss got the win though.

Yeah.

I mean, if you listen to Lane Kiffin, they were, they were committing a violation playing music through the snap.

It led to some motion and false starts and, and, Poor quarterback play.

That's what Lane said.

And, oh, by the way, Lane's still not happy with the nine-game schedule.

But, look, LSU's dangerous.

Why would Georgia be above Ole Miss? That was the question.

Uh, just based on what you've seen and who they played, uh, what, what are your big takeaways through a three-game sample size for Georgia? Maybe expectations met, where you still need to see more?

Uh, pass blocking hasn't been, you know, real good against Arkansas.

They had three sacks.

And, you know, right tackle, Juan Guison, gave up a couple, and they were able to hit him up.

Uh, you know, my, my unpopular hot take is that Ryan Silverfield actually has some coaching chops.

He certainly doesn't win the press conference, but the, the guy's been around for a minute, and he spent six years in the NFL.

So I, I do think he's-- I think he's a good coach.

[laughs]

What do you make of this Oklahoma team, and why does Ben Arbuckle continue to have issues with his quarterback, John Mateer?

Yeah, I dropped him, I think, from number eight to 21.

Look, Michigan's got a good defense.

You know, everybody got amnesia.

I mean, Michigan's a good football team.

They played poorly in their opener against Western Michigan.

But, you know, the big house is real.

the

What do you make of this Oklahoma team, and why does Ben Arbuckle continue to have issues with his quarterback, John Mateer?

Yeah, I dropped him, I think, from number eight to 21.

Look, Michigan's got a good defense.

You know, everybody got amnesia.

I mean, Michigan's a good football team.

They played poorly in their opener against Western Michigan.

But, you know, the big house is real.

What are you hearing from the people you talked to? Have the hostilities simmered down to the point now where, really nothing new is going to happen to LSU, or do you think there's still something simmering down in the Birmingham office of the SEC?

What can you tell us about this and the idea whether LSU is a member of the Southeastern Conference in good standing?

Yeah, I'm actually taking time out from writing that story right now to do this interview.

Yeah, I mean, look, Lane Kiffin made a quip at halftime, imagine if we had pro players and The SEC is not messing around with LSU.

They want to make sure in this lawsuit that they do indeed have the authority to vote them out of the league.

That is in their bylaws.

But now before you do anything, you've got to have the courts vote in your favor.

I don't think it comes to that.

Mike, I guess this is kind of speculative, but what's a better job now and moving forward, Michigan State or Clemson? And what's a better job, Michigan State or Arkansas?

What can you tell us about this and the idea whether LSU is a member of the Southeastern Conference in good standing?

Yeah, I'm actually taking time out from writing that story right now to do this interview.

Yeah, I mean, look, Lane Kiffin made a quip at halftime, imagine if we had pro players and The SEC is not messing around with LSU.

They want to make sure in this lawsuit that they do indeed have the authority to vote them out of the league.

That is in their bylaws.

But now before you do anything, you've got to have the courts vote in your favor.

I don't think it comes to that.

Mike, I guess this is kind of speculative, but what's a better job now and moving forward, Michigan State or Clemson? And what's a better job, Michigan State or Arkansas?

What do you think?

Yeah, I mean, first time since 1997 that the conference opened with an undefeated weekend.

So that's pretty interesting.

And they had 12 teams back then.

So I was at the Auburn-Baylor game.

And I turned in my AP ballot, by the way.

I kept Auburn at number 25.

I mean, yeah, he should be

What do you think?

Yeah, I mean, first time since 1997 that the conference opened with an undefeated weekend.

So that's pretty interesting.

And they had 12 teams back then.

So I was at the Auburn-Baylor game.

And I turned in my AP ballot, by the way.

I kept Auburn at number 25.

Yeah.

Do you think this is a great test case for the SEC moving forward on self-governance?

Well, I mean, you know, Jerry Moorhead's a former U.S. trial attorney and law professor.

So what he saw before everybody else did was that the conferences actually had more power than the NCAA when it comes to court.

And, you know, that was what Jerry saw before everyone else.

And I think what Georgia felt, you know, competing in a lot of these high stakes for players, you know, that some programs weren't running their players, you know, through the NIL GO system.

And so it's like, okay, you know, you put these rules in place and, you know, we're trying to do it the right way and running our, you know, deals with our players through this NIL GO system.

But, you know, there's other programs out there, you know, that aren't playing by the same rules.

Could you imagine, Mike, writing a story like that, say, 10 years ago, because based on the fact that you're old school like I am, how back in the old days that that was just something that you just did not talk about, at least put in print about, being paid for but man this is the day and times that we live in with nil but just talk about the defense not so much that comment but just about the defense and the expectations for georgia this year

Do you think this is a great test case for the SEC moving forward on self-governance?

Well, I mean, Jerry Moorhead's a former U.S. trial attorney and law professor.

So what he saw before everybody else did was that the conferences actually had more power than the NCAA when it comes to court.

And that was what Jerry saw before everyone else.

And I think what Georgia felt, competing in a lot of these high stakes for players, you know, that some programs weren't running their players, you know, through the NIL GO system.

And so it's like, okay, you know, you put these rules in place and, you know, we're trying to do it the right way and running our, you know, deals with our players through this NIL GO system.

But, you know, there's other programs out there, you know, that aren't playing by the same rules.

Could you imagine, Mike, writing a story like that, say, 10 years ago, because based on the fact that you're old school like I am, how back in the old days that that was just something that you just did not talk about, at least put in print about Georgia, being paid for but man this is the day and times that we live in with nil but just talk about the defense not so much that comment but just about the defense and the expectations for georgia this year

Mike, what is the outcry, just based on what you're hearing behind the scenes of the other member institutions? Because I, I, I would think that some of them kind of look at their own situations and go, "Well, we kind of did something like this."

Precedent, you know, it's a bad precedent, number one.

Number two, you know, if play, if schools are at a limit, they're, they're gonna have to knock somebody out, right? I mean, th- there, somebody's gonna be off scholarship.

Somebody's gonna lose an opportunity.

And, you know, it's, I guess it's up to the individual coach if, you know, if he wants to screw over guys that have been working out with a team since last January and thought they were somewhere on the depth chart, and, you know, now, you know, bringing in a player or two or three and, you know, what does that do to team chemistry? But probably not as much as we think.

It's turned into a dog-eat-dog, everybody wants to eat, you know, get their own deal.

Um, but it, it is bad, uh, optics Uh, I think it's a bad precedent.

Is there any aspect, any level, whether offense, defensive side, that you look as, I mean, I, I know they're really, really good, Mike, they're expected to do well, but underwhelming maybe compared to the other positions?

Mike, what is the outcry just based on what you're hearing behind the scenes of the other member institutions? Because I, I, I would think that some of them kind of look at their own situations and go, "Well, we kind of did something like this."

Precedent.

You know, it's a bad precedent, number one.

Number two, you know, if play, if schools are at a limit, they're, they're gonna have to knock somebody out, right? I mean, there, somebody's gonna be off scholarship.

Somebody's gonna lose an opportunity.

And now it's, I guess it's up to the individual coach if, you know, if he wants to screw over guys that have been working out with a team since last January and thought they were somewhere on the depth chart, and, you know, now, you know, bringing in a player or two or three and, you know, what does that do to team chemistry? But probably not as much as we think.

It's turned into a dog-eat-dog, everybody wants to eat, you know, get their own deal.

Is there any aspect, any level, whether offense, defensive side, that you look is, I mean, I, I know they're really, really good, Mike, they're expected to do well, but underwhelming maybe compared to the other positions?

Yeah.

Three Valentines.

I saw V coming in.

They're, they're proud.

K- Him, him and Kathy are maniac-y.

Yeah.

And, and Carlton Valentine went in, was it last year, right? Denzel and-

They got good players.

Yeah.

I, I'm not sure how good Sam Levitt is, I'm gonna get right to it.

I mean, I'm sure he's good, but is he Trinidad Chambless good? Is he Jaxson Dart good? You know, and then there's just so many new moving pieces there, right? And the more, you know, if, if things start to go wrong, if they stumble against Clemson, if they stumble at Ole Miss, how does that team handle adversity? I don't know much about their leadership, um, within the team.

I think, you know, the internal leadership is very important.

I mean, I know that last year before the bowl game, uh, Sugar Bowl or, you know, the quarterfinal, whatever you wanna call it, when Georgia played, I mean, I interviewed the Ole Miss players, I was really impressed with their players.

I was really impressed with the leadership and the words coming out of their mouth and, and the poise.

You can follow his work at The Atlanta Journal of Constitution, dognation.com. Before we let you go, what is the buzz right now as we head into week three for fall camp for the Georgia Bulldogs? What's some of the, the big questions, the big stories you guys are following at the AJC?

They got good players.

Yeah.

I, I'm not sure how good Sam Love it is when you get right to it.

I mean, I'm sure he's good, but is he Trinidad Chambliss good? Is he Jaxson Dart good? You know? And then there's just so many new moving pieces there, right? And the more m- you know, if, if things start to go wrong, if they stumble against Clemson, if they stumble at Ole Miss, how does that team handle adversity? I don't know much about their leadership Um, within the team.

I think, you know, the internal leadership is very important.

I mean, I know that last year before the bowl game, uh, Sugar Bowl or, you know, quarterfinal, whatever you want to call it, when Georgia played, I mean, I interviewed the Ole Miss players, I was really impressed with their players.

I was really impressed with the leadership and the words coming out of their mouth and, and the poise.

You can follow his work at the Atlanta Journal of Constitution, dawgnation.com. Before we let you go, what is the buzz right now as we head into week three for fall camp for the Georgia Bulldogs? What's some of the, the big questions, the big stories you guys are following at the AJC?

Yeah, remember that.

And then he broke his collarbone in practice the next week, but he came back, and there's a lot of hope for him this year.

He's pretty slippery and pretty fast.

Um, I didn't see much in the scrimmage.

I didn't see him go to Canyon much either, so, you know, even the, I, I call it a scrimmage.

There was some scrimmage action within the practice, I should say.

Uh, and I think Kirby probably kept him under wraps.

Where does Gunner Stockton need to be better?