What Went Wrong in Georgia's Loss to Georgia Tech?

After getting run all over in a 45-42 defeat by arch-rival Georgia Tech, the Dawgs have to ask once again what went wrong. Georgia opened the week as a ten-point favorite and closed it watching the Jackets take a knee in Sanford Stadium.

1.  Reshad Jones

I'm going to put this as delicately as I can: Reshad Jones is the worst safety in college football. 

Jones came to Georgia in 2006 as the number one safety prospect. After two years of playing Between the Hedges, it's clear he was overrated. He is probably the biggest recruiting bust Georgia has had since Sterling Boyd in the early 90s.

Saturday, Tech scored five offensive touchdowns. On three of them Jones was responsible. On one, Jones didn't get the pitch man. On Tech's last two scores, Jones threw a shoulder block at the ball carrier and didn't wrap up.

Someone told Jones he was a good tackler and a hard hitter once upon a time. They need to correct that statement so he will learn how to tackle correctly.

2.  Matthew Stafford

Can we please stop facilitating the lie that Stafford is a great college quarterback?  There is no question that the junior from Dallas has a great arm and great ability. 

Hell, Jeff George has great ability.

Stafford, like George, makes bonehead decisions. The interception in the first quarter was one of the more insanely idiotic throws you will ever see a quarterback make.

Further, when Tech turned the tide in the second half, Stafford made poor decisions with the ball.  He either took a sack he did not need to take, forced the ball, and once he ran out of bounds instead of throwing the ball away.

3.  Penalties

Georgia continued to kill itself with penalties. There were a few poorly-timed holding calls and also a defensive interference that set up the first Tech score of the third quarter.

All told, Georgia had seven more penalties to continue to lead all BCS conference teams.

A notable omission this week is Willie Martinez. This columnist has continually blamed Martinez for the problems the Georgia defense has had. This week's blame, however, belongs to the players.

Martinez had his men in place all day long. The team just continually missed tackles and assignments.

All-in-all, it is a relief to see 2008 end for the Dawgs. This year was a poorly played season by a talented team that continually looked disinterested. Out of 12 games this year, Georgia only seemed to put forth two good efforts:  Arizona State and LSU.

Sadly, this team was far too much like the 2004 team which lacked heart and a killer instinct and too little like the team that closed out the 2002 and 2007 seasons.

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