...last night. But a win is a win, I guess. Now, our prize is that we get fifteen extra days of practice to prepare for next year. Unfortunately, with that prize comes the obligation to dress out and scrimmage either SMU or Central Florida on December 31 in freezing cold Memphis. If it were 95 degrees and a noon-kickoff, McGarity'd be creaming himself over that game. But, oh well... Here are a few points from last night's game:
1) Defense - When are things going to turn around for the defense? Miami, who - by the way - fired their head coach last night, held this Tech offense to 10 points. And, yes, we've seen this defense just as much as Miami has. Sure, Grantham is in his first year, but does it take a good shellacking before a defensive coordinator figues out how to stop it? "Ohhhh... I didn't really GET IT when watching it on tape last off-season or in the TWO WEEKS prior to this game, but now that they've stomped all over my face with it, I understand what we need to do next year to stop it... I got it..." This is the twelfth game for Grantham with this group of guys and this defense. How much patience are we supposed to have? Tech was playing with their back-up quarterback on the road, and their first quarterback wasn't even all that good (tough - yes, solid runner - yes, but "good" QB? not really). And yet they still put up 512 yards of total offense. Schlabach says that it is not the x's and o's, but rather the Jimmies and Joes. But can we really lay the failure of this defense at the feet of one out-of-position DT? Really? The 3rd highest paid defensive coordinator in the country can't find a way to work around that? After an entire off-season and 11 games? And does that mean we are going to have to rely on a true freshman DT to carry our defense next year? Whether it is the coaching/scheme or personnel within the scheme, Grantham gets a "D" for what we've seen this year. And an "F" for last night's debacle. Our cherished, sound-byte lovin, choke-sign givin "head coach" of the defense goes only so far as Richt does. If Richt is gone in a couple of weeks or a month, then so should Grantham, for any of those who actually thought we could/should try to keep our DC when finding a new coach (which would have never worked anyway).
2) Running game - Ealey looked okay last night. King still looks slow. I will give him credit for being shifty around at the line of scrimmage and able to slide off people, but the kid has no breakaway speed or open field play-making ability. He really looks like his wheels are spinning when he runs. He is just not an explosive or threatening back. Oh, and he fumbled. Ealey had a good night and some good runs (though his stats are a bit misleading thanks to the run he had when Tech let us score, which was brilliant, BTW, and something Richt would have NEVER, EVER done - unfortunately). But we simply do not have an explosive, dependable running back. High school RB Isaiah Crowell was on the UGA sideline last night wearing UGA gear. The 5-star recruit is said to be deciding between Georgia and Alabama. I've had someone who knows someone with an "inside source" tell me that he's going to commit to UGA, but wants to play the recruiting/attention/decision hat game first. That's fine. But we need him. And we need Richt to play him as a freshman in place of King.
3) Offensive line - If your offensive line can't hold up against a 1st year, 3-4 Georgia Tech defense, then it can't hold up against anyone. The OL failed, and couldn't help UGA on some 3rd & inches and 4th & inches situations. Not only that, but Murray was getting pressure especially late in the game. Again, I'm not sure if this is coaching or personnel. I'm not sure of anything with this UGA team anymore.
4) They're gone, by the way - Green and Houston had big nights for their last game in Athens. Houston had a touchdown and the game-winning interception. Green had 8 catches for 97 yards. Good luck, boys. Have fun sitting out the first half of your first NFL season due to a lockout.
5) Oh... So THAT'S why Logan Gray returns punts...
6) Superman - If you had known Murray was going to be this good, this soon, would you have thought we'd finish this season 6-6? Nope. He's a superstar. 15-19, 271 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTS... Holy passing efficiency, Batman! He won us the game single-handedly, as he's done before. He's sure gonna miss AJ next year.
7) State of the Program Address - Overall, that was an embarassing near loss to Tech. I got into a little bit of a twitter discussion with @CollinsDrew last night about the state of the Georgia program. Schlabach made an interesting point: "UGA/GT series so much better than UGA/UF. Actually competitive and compelling." I piggy-backed on that and pointed out that, as a program, Georgia is currently more on the same playing field as Tech as opposed to Florida. Over the past several years, we are just more comparable to Georgia Tech. Our results, our actual play on the field, and where we stack up in the national picture is more similar to Tech than Florida. With Tech, the game is always close and rarely is there a blowout. With Florida, they almost always blow us out, and rarely there is a close game. We are just closer to Tech. Sure, Florida has had an awful year... so bad that some UGA fans content themselves by saying, "Their program is at a place similar to UGA's..." Florida has had the worst season they've had in nearly three decades. And yet, they still beat Georgia. Ouch. This is a blip on Florida's radar. They lost their great OC, DC and starting QB all within the 18 months prior to this season. That's big. What excuses have we at UGA? What can Richt point to? Nothing. At least Meyer has excuses. Not only that, but in the 4 years prior to this season, Florida won 2 national titles. And we want to say the state of the Georgia program is similar to Florida's? Rrriiiigggghhhtttt... Truth is, Georgia is more like a Tech right now, in the national picture. Sure, we can give Richt one more year. But in my heart of hearts, the only thing that will accomplish is losing out on a shot to hire Dan Mullen. Sorry, but me saying Richt may deserve another season at UGA is not the same as saying that I believe he will turn it around. We're polishing the brass on the titanic, and wasting a hell of a talent at QB in the process. At least Tech can say they aren't squandering talent. They don't really have any. And yet they still almost beat us every year. Oy.
UPDATE
8. One more that I forgot: According to the ESPN timeout count, we used our final timeout of the 2nd half in the final minutes of the 3rd quarter. Par for the course. We've been doing that all year.
1." But can we really lay the failure of this defense at the feet of one out-of-position DT? Really? The 3rd highest paid defensive coordinator in the country can't find a way to work around that?"
ReplyDeleteWell Nick Saban, who was the highest paid coach in football, was not very good until he got Terrance Cody as a nose tackle his 2nd year. He was 7-6 without him. So maybe Schlabach is on to something about Jimmies and Joes. If Nick Saban "King of the 3-4" couldn't do it his first year without his players, then maybe UGA might not be able to do it their first year without players as well.
2. WE NEED CROWLEY.
3. I agree our "strength" this year was supposed to be our O-Line. Searles has not shown me anything. Wasn't he supposed to be our best posistion coach as well?
4. IT IS KNOWN.
6. Murray is our MVP. No doubt about it. Best Freshman in the country as well. I guess Richt and the recruitors got lucky with him and charles. Because they are terrible right!!!!
7. I thought we beat Ga Tech!?!?! To be honest, I have no idea why 7 was needed. Maybe you were just pissed, but who actually thinks we are on the same plain as UF? Seriously? Alabama is the only team in the last 5 years that could claim to be on the same plain as UF. Everything you posted is correct we are closer to Tech than UF, but isn't that common knowledge?
8. Did we score off that last timeout?
We've won 9 of the last 10 from Tech. I don't see how you can say we're close to them as a program.
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts on the game:
Thank God this season is over. I've never said that about a UGA season...but damn, I'm glad this season is over, we eked out a win and made it to a bowl for much-needed extra practice.
I won't listen to anybody criticize Bobo after this game (not saying you are, but the Senator did and a lot of people agree with him). My God, how many points do we have to score before people are satisfied with an O coordinator? Think Florida would like to average 34 or 35 a game? If our defense was even close to the elite level that we had in the early 2000s, we would be dominant. Also, consider this: how many more points would we score if our defense could get off the field on 3rd down?
The difference in this year's D vs. the past few years is that now, we give up 12-15 play scoring drives as opposed to 5 play scoring drives. Do we ever get off the field when we need to? I'm giving Grantham a pass this year b/c our personnel (namely, the nose tackle) doesn't fit the scheme. Get it together next year, PLEEEEASE.
My view from the endzone Saturday night:
ReplyDeleteYes, the Nose is the key to the 3-4 defense and Tyson is a perfect 3-4 Tackle---not nose. When viewing the D from behind, you could see that the spacing of the 3 down linemen almost GIVES the dive play 5 yards. All you have to do is double down on the Nose and kick out the Tackle with the OT and the OG pulls and slips to the LB. So, yes, if our NOSE could control the middle (occupying the OC and both OGs) that stops the Dive and we can win the rest of the battles. We MUST get a massive nose. I'm pretty sure we've got one from the JUCO ranks coming in so we won't have to rely on a freshman. Geathers and Bean will come along as well. This is the key to the 3-4 and without it, the 3-4 does not work....see Bama's first year and UGAs first year for proof.
Priority #1 is this massive nose. Priority #1.5 is getting Crowell. Period. Ealey and King just have zero speed. And from what I'm hearing, Crowell would be playing from day one if we get him.
The crowd chanting "one more year" to AJ after the game was pretty cool. Barring a full season lockout in the NFL there is no way he comes back. Too bad, it's a lot of fun watching him play for the dawgs.
We need to get a Barbara Streisand or Adrian Brody nose.
ReplyDeleteIn re: High Schooler | #7 - Georgia Tech
ReplyDeleteIt is not common knowledge (see Husky in the very next post). UGA people tend to turn up their nose or laugh at the GA Tech program, while arguing we are in a league with Florida. I think we are a better program than Tech, but I think we are closer to Tech right now that Florida, in terms of results and competitiveness. This was more an argument I had with another individual that I thought I'd share here as well, just food for thought.
In re: Husky | Georgia Tech and Mike Bobo
So...? Florida has beaten us 8 out of the last 10 and 18 of the last 21. That's annihilation. Not only that, but the UGA/GT games are closer and more compelling. We are closer to Tech, as a program, than we are Florida right now.
I don't have a problem with how Bobo called that game Saturday, for the most part. The frustration with Bobo, and something the Senator and I agree on, is that he doesn't consistently make smart/good play calls. He gets into these lulls where he tries to force the run game, when it isn't there. Or, if he gets a somewhat comfortable lead, he will start running the ball for the sake of running it, and allow the opponent to climb back in. And another issue with Bobo is that he is a hero by the end of the season, but he starts off slow. This season was a good example. Last season was another. It just seems to take a while for him to put it together, and by then we already have a couple of losses. And sometimes he just inexplicably lays an egg, like the Tennessee game last year. He's just a little unpredicable and too traditional and conservative for his own good sometimes.
But this late in the game, we have to stick with him, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. After all, he's done a wonderful job developing Murray and he shows flashes of being an excellent offensive coordinator. If he can do as well as he has done over this "30 ppg or more" streak, then I will be pleased.
In re: JFerg and Highschooler | 3-4 Defense, NT
Interesting you mention Saban's first year. Keep in mind, however, that Saban was a first year head coach who was doing more than simply installing a new defense. He had new players, new coaches, a new offense, a new defense, and he had to deal with all the adjustments and introductory crap that goes with all of it. Despite that, here are some interesting notes on the defenses:
UGA has averaged giving up 23.08 pts per game. But they've given up more than 30 five times this season. Moreover, in 4 of the last 5 games they've given up more than 30 pts.
Alabama in 2007 averaged giving up 22 pts per game. Moreover, they gave up more than 30 only twice. They also gave up 21 or less in 4 of their last 6 games.
Saban's defense was much better in his first year at Alabama without a DT. He found a way. Grantham and Richt knew that they weren't going to have the prototypical DT at the beginning of the season. I would expect some adjustments from the 3rd highest paid DC in the land.
Maybe a single, larger NT will make us the greatest defense in the land. But that would mean turning a 180, and it assumes everything else is working perfectly. By the way, our linebacking corp has looked pretty strong, but the secondary is still suspect.
I'm sure your analysis of the gaps and the splits and the spacing is spot on. I don't know enough about it. What I do know is that we seemed to give up more and more points as the season went on.
I think we're in between Tech and Florida "as a program." We've beaten Tech 9 out of the last 10, Fla has beat us 8 out of the last 10. We're right in between.
ReplyDeleteWe also gave up 45 points to Tennessee last year.
I'll say what I said on the Senator's blog: complaining about Bobo is like complaining about having a flat tire when the engine's blown out.
Also, it looks like all 3 of the programs we're discussing took a step backwards this year.
ReplyDeleteYeah. Florida lost their great OC (Mullen), great DC (Strong), great WR (Harvin), great LB (Spikes) and great QB (Tebow) in the 18 mos prior to this season. GT lost all four of their best players early to the NFL draft, including their best WR, their best RB, their best DL, and their best DB.
ReplyDeleteWhat is our excuse? Freshman QB? Oh, wait...
IN RE FRATLOCK #8
ReplyDelete1. That was a lot of words and justification to explain how Saban's defense gave up 22 a game and Granthams d gave up 23 a game. A one point difference.
2. I don't by the Saban had a lot on his plate excuse. By your logic, he was the highest paid coach in football, he should deal with it
3. All I am saying is that it is a valid point that we don't have the personel to run the defense right now. And yes if we get a Terrance Cody like figure to plug in the middle, we will be dominant next year.
By your logic, if we had a larger DT in the middle, we would have been dominant this past year correct?
ReplyDeleteI didn't bring Saban into this argument, you guys did.
Did you deliberately ignore what I said above? Let me explain it again for you:
The most telling stats, that you ignored, is that UGA gave up more than 30 points FOUR TIMES in their past FIVE games. In other words, at the end of the season as we were supposed to be adjusting, adapting to the new system and getting better. On the flip side, Alabama gave up 30 or more points only TWICE ALL YEAR.
Meanwhile, Alabama showed improvement toward the end of the season, WITHOUT THE GREAT DEFENSE MAKER TERANCE CODY, and kept their opponents to 21 or less in FOUR OF THEIR LAST SIX GAMES.
Maybe 30 more pounds on our DT makes us a dominant defense, but I'm not so sure that is the cure-all, or that it a sufficient enough excuse for defensive failures toward the end of the season.
Yeah, I agree. If we had a better nose tackle we would be a much better defense. I am glad we both agree that we need a better nose tackle. And better players as well. Players that fit the system we are trying to install.
ReplyDeleteI don't think you can compare the last 4 games of our season and Bama's season. And have an accurate potrait, But yes going on STATS which is all you look at, Bama allowed less points in the last 4 games. And they allowed ONE less point on average all year. Against offenses, which were no where near as good as USC, Auburn, or Arky.
Also, who the hell is ASS?
It's definitely not a cure-all...but it'll help. Here's why:
ReplyDelete1. A larger Nose (Brody would be perfect, Husky) creates a blocking scheme problem on the opposing OL. He lines up directly over the Center. Does he shoot the A-gap or B-gap? If A, the Center and RIGHT guard will pick him up. If B, the Center and LEFT guard will pick him up. Not knowing which guard is going to pick him up means that you cannot pull your guards will regularity--because what if you pull the guard from the gap that the Nose stunts into? This type of uncertainty limits the play-calling abilities of the offense (since pulling guards are part of many running plays).
2. If those two guards are "staying home" in case their gap is stunted by the mountain at Nose, they cannot penetrate to the 2nd level (ILBs) as quickly, leaving the ILBs to roam free and make more plays.
3. If those two guards are "staying home" now your DEs have options on stunting inside of the OT or outside of the OT. Which, in turn, gives your OLBs options of playing outside of the OT for contain or shooting inside on a blitz. Then, you get the aggressive, confusing 3-4 that dominates.
4. If all of this is taken away because your Nose is too small and must play IN the A-gap or B-gap, the OL knows where he is and can simply double-down, the open OG can block an ILB, and so forth...the 3-4 is neutralized.
We will still need to find depth on DL, replace Houston (if he leaves), replace Dent (122 tackles--wow!), and possibly replace Boykin...so yes, there are lots of things on the to-do list for CTG...but acquiring a dominant Nose is #1.
Our "excuse" is, hopefully, a brand new defensive coordinator and scheme. If we had a defense that could've gotten key stops this year, our record is significantly better. Also, we lost 2 key D linemen last year, and we didn't have our best player for the first 4 games.
ReplyDeleteEverybody suffers losses from one year to the next and has setbacks during the year. You're a big proponent of us not being on the same level as Florida, which is the type of program that reloads and doesn't rebuild. Well, 6-6 sure doesn't sound like reloading. They took significant steps back this year, and what do they have to build on for next year?
Touche`. Good point. Florida is very, very young. But their QB troubles could be similar to our DT troubles and many are arguing that the right fit at the position could make a big difference. Either way, they've had the best recruiting classes in the country and are widely regarded as having the best talent in the nation. (#3 in 2008, #11 in 2009 when they signed a much smaller class than everyone else, #3 in 2010, and currently #6 for 2011). The question is whether the talent can gel better next season, or if the Gators turn into the Yankees of college football. But, they definitely have loads of talent to build on for next year.
ReplyDeleteIn addition, they've got a guy in Corch Meyer who is widely considered to be the most brilliant coach in the country. Maybe it was just the coordinators...? But I'm not buying that after the year-in, year-out success this guy has had everywhere he has been. He's won 2 of the last 4 championships, which is a lot to build on as well.
If Florida stumbles to the finish next year as well, then we can START talking about whether Florida has slipped down to where we are. But it's too premature for that, IMO.
Alls I know is that if we had the recruiting class rankings that you cited above, and we finished 6-6, your head would explode. With that much talent, they shouldn't have any excuses to finish with more than 3 losses, especially in a down year in the East.
ReplyDeleteYeah, but like I said earlier, losing your great OC, great DC and the Greatest Player of our Era in an eighteen month time period puts things into perspective. We at Georgia got rid of a horrible DC, and were expected to be much better across the board, especially on defense. Yet, despite their significant losses in those three spots and our perceived gains, Florida still beat us.
ReplyDeleteOkay, so if they lost a great OC, great DC, and the GPooE, they don't have much reason to be excited for next year. They had the talent and the great CUM this year, and finished 6-6. That's exactly what they'll have next year.
ReplyDeleteAnd we were better, statistically, on defense this year, with a brand new DC and new scheme. Anyone who knows anything about football knew we'd have growing pains installing a new defense.
Give it up, Fratlock. You're just coming across as a Florida fan.