[su_spacer size=”20″] If there’s any doubt, the flag gets thrown. With that in mind, LEAVE NO DOUBT! Don’t leave the outcome of any football game “potentially” in the hands of officials. UGA vs. Vandy 2013 was a nightmare. It was a game filled with defensive lapses under now departed D.C. Todd Grantham, offensive lulls late in the game and special teams’ gaffes.[su_spacer size=”40″] Georgia was ranked 15^th in the nation and Vanderbilt was expected to be the easy target. But the Bulldog team that has done the inexplicable under Mark Richt numerous times did it again in 2013. Even with a 13 point advantage to start the 4^th quarter, Vanderbilt found a way to stifle Georgia’s offense and put up 17 unanswered points to win the contest 31 – 27.
[su_spacer size=”40″] The epitome of the Dawgs’ futility came with 13:36 left in the 4^th quarter and the Commodores facing a 4^th and four from the Georgia 30 yard line. Lined up in shotgun formation and facing only a four-man rush, Vandy’s backup QB launched a low line drive pass right to Jordan Matthews made the catch just as LB Ramik Wilson showed up to jar the ball loose with a violent and legal shoulder tackle.
[su_spacer size=”40″] OUT COMES THE YELLOW HANKY!
[su_spacer size=”40″] Targeting. That was the call. There was video replay. The call was overturned. Wilson remained in the game. But the targeting penalty call in 2013 had an unintended consequence. Even though the “call” was reversed and Wilson was allowed to stay in the game, Vandy was given 15 yards and a 1^st down for a play that wasn’t illegal. It made so little sense that the competition committee fixed the problem in 2014 with rules 9 – 1 – 3 and 9 – 1 – 4 regarding targeting. But on that day, it just didn’t matter.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Was this single play the reason Georgia lost? No. But it should remind all coaches and players to start fast, play hard, play smart, and don’t leave anything to chance. Leave no doubt! And you’ll have nothing to worry about.