In Bradley's latest column, he lists 5 reasons why Willie Martinez should be demoted ASAP. Fortunately for CWM, his boss (like most of people) probably doesn't read the
Who has two thumbs and gets pressure...from Mark Bradley?Back in November 2008, PWD wrote an excellent piece on whether the problem with the defense is coaching or talent. We're basically dealing with the same group of guys as last year, so the analysis is still relevant. I'd say in the case of our secondary, it might be a little bit of both.
Seeing coaches get pink slips is nothing to celebrate; these are decent folks with families to support. However, seeing us get torched by Stephen Garcia is not good times either.
There's an argument to be made that the season's defensive statistics Bradley uses to bolster his argument are partially distorted by our atrocious turnover margin. But any way you slice it, it is clear that the defense needs to step up during the grueling three week stretch ahead.
The worst case scenario for UGA is that calls for CWM's scalp become a distraction to the coaching staff and to the team. Anything that degrades on-field performance is sub-optimal.
I'd like to see the defense rally and prove this unit is more like the team who (but for points off turnovers) basically held Oklahoma State in check. Not to save Willie's job, but because it's unrealistic to think we'll put up 40+ points against LSU and Tennessee.
21 comments:
I like this quote from ASU CB Omar Bolden about playing in Sanford Stadium this year:
"It's the SEC, it's 90,000 fans, but if you really look at it, you go to Oregon, it's 58,000, but they're right on your necks," Bolden said. "It's really the same thing."
How 'bout we make some serious noise this Saturday and GATA Dawgs!
...Oh yeah, and no turnover!
I think another factor is that both SC and Ark were placing their whole seasons on beating us. Ark had been talking about prepping for us since the end of last season. I also add that I'm sure the D was still burnt out to a degree from the SC game, I mean 80 something plays is a good bit. I would say give it until after Tenn. If Tenn. is able to put up points on us left and right then we know it is 100% the D just sucking and not fatigue or turnovers killing them.
The defensive deficiencies are harder and harder to ignore. I have tried to defend Martinez, but it is getting more difficult.
I actually think the root cause of the problem is a certain, very tall and skinny coach who left us for Oklahoma a couple of years ago.
His stubborness on kickoffs has been duly noted, and his coached position has dropped off enormously since Marcus Howard's freak-out in 2007.
It is getting to be the same thing with Fabris as it was with Calloway. It seems the talent at his position is down, but he is ultimately responsible for that talent.
We have recruited nothing but 3* DE's the last 3 cycles at the most important position on our defense.
Yes, Toby Jackson and Brandon Lang not getting into school were killers. Lang will be a first day draft pick, and Jackson would have been a starter for us last year.
But, we largely ignored Jermaine Cunningham and we had Cliff Matthews nearly rapped up and blew that one.
Neland Ball and Jeremy Longo look as if they may never see the field. We got a commitment this year from a kid who has already blown out both knees.
Cornelius Washington is clearly our best pass rusher right now, but he is not getting the most snaps.
I think everyone may just be picking on the wrong defensive coach.
With all the Martinez talk, I decided to look at how UGA has fared in points allowed vs. the rest of the SEC’s big 6 programs during the Richt era.
The chart here shows UGA’s average points allowed per season (2001-2008), in SEC games only, compared to the averages of the SEC’s other big 6 programs during that time. (The table below the chart has the yearly data for the individual teams.)
From this perspective I think Martinez’s defenses come out looking a little better than many suggest. As seen in this table of point differentials from the averages of the other major SEC programs during these years, UGA’s 2007 defense actually had one of the 10 best seasons (among those of the SEC’s major programs) this decade. By that measure, it actually comes out better than all but one (2003) of the Richt era defenses.
TD, don't try and confuse the Willie haters with facts.....stay on point. LOL
'Anything that degrades on-field performance is sub-optimal'
Well said and this should be a reminder to all of us that in today's world of information overload, our comments are reaching the players and it does affect their confidence. It's time to blindly support our dawgs and our D for the rest of the season. Make Sanford a true home field advantage and help the D by making it as hard as possible on the opposing offense.
CMR has no one to blame but himself for this "distraction." Our defense has been on a steady decline since CWM was in charge. The list of defensive meltdowns under this coach are too numerous to mention. Our talent on Defense didn't vanish for four straight seasons.
The longer CWM is in charge the more we're going to read from the press about his inadequacies as a coach.
"Our defense has been on a steady decline since CWM was in charge."
Wrong.
Georgia's defense was good in 2005, 2006, and 2007. No steady decline there.
The last half of last year was an absolute trainwreck. Same for the first three game this year. If you want to believe that's enough for a scalp, go ahead, but it's not a "steady decline."
Anon, 9:48...I will not mention to you the Auburn loss in '05, the debacle against Wvu, UK and Vandy stuffing the ball down our throats in the 4th quarter in back-to-back games in '06, the failure to show up in Knoxville in '07, the blitzkriegs we sat through on multiple occasions in '08, and of course, making Jeff Garcia look like Peyton Manning.
You yourself appear to be making the argument that there has not been a steady decline, but rather a total and utter breakdown over the last 7 or 8 games.
AU '05 -- the defense stoned Auburn on its own 11 via a turnover. Then Brannan Southerland turned the ball over on the next play for a TD.
Also, the Defense stopped AU deep in its own territory. The following play Thomas Flowers fumbled the punt and 1 play later AU scored.
If either of those turnovers don't happen, UGA wins. How is that the defense's fault?
PTC Dawg,
Yeah, the Martinez bashing has gotten pretty silly. That's why I put those tables together.
As anyone familiar with the baseball sabermetric revolution knows, emotion (especially that driven by fanhood) often leads us to flawed conclusions initially. Conclusions just simply not supported by the scientific data, however much we may think we saw or knew otherwise.
Now, I don't say this or point to these numbers as a blind defense of Martinez. I do so simply to show that a closer look at the statistical data shows that the "steady downtrend" talking point, among other common complaints about Martinez, is just false.
Obviously 2008 was a disaster. But 2007 was one of the best performances of the decade in the SEC... even though a simplistic look at the points allowed (i.e. saying that the number was higher than 2006) would erroneously lead one to conclude 2007 was an average to poor year defensively.
Our D has a had multiple players check out early for the league. Champ Bailey,Thomas Davis, Asher Allen,J. Sullivan,Odell Thurman, Sean Jones etc... This is certainly not an excuse but needs to addressed...UF has at least 5 players on D that could have bailed but stayed! Charlie Strong gets it!!! Bottom line all the haters that want to rip CMR need to remember the Goff and Donnan era? Honestly it wasn't that long ago that Glen Mason left us at the alter! Everything happens for a reason and just think we could have Joker Phillips or Ed Orgeron at the head of the program!
In 2007 we were down 28-0 to the Vols at halftime. That was a great year for defense?
2007 was a great season, but let's look at it in hindsight. We beat Florida with an injured Tebow. Auburn was beginning its slide (we didn't know that at the time). We needed a fumble to beat Vandy. We lost to USC. We beat up a completely over-matched team in the Sugar Bowl. We won in spite of our defense in 2007 and lost a chance at a national championship because of a first half debacle against UT. Kind of like the first half debacle against WV and Alabama.
We act like we're the only defense that has to face bad turnovers.
I don't keep up with the ins and outs of recruiting, but isn't all this negative press about Martinez bad for us in the future? Maybe CMR and his staff don't read what's online, but I am sure kids thinking about coming to Georgia do.
Maybe some star defensive player would want to come play at UGA, thinking they could help our struggling D. But I don't think they'd want to come here if they constantly heard that our defensive coordinator was a moron.
Will CMR stay loyal if he realizes there's a recruiting drop off?
Football is about winning games, not stats. The defense made plays to win games twice this year when called upon.
Every true Dawg fan wants this team to win as many games as possible. Support the team during the season.
If CMR decides there needs to be a change anywhere, he will do it after the season whether we ask for it or not.
CMR wants to win just as much and likely more than anyone else.
CMR and DVH have been involved with teams that were in the top 10 of a major poll in 18 of the last 20 years. How many times have we had a top ten team without CMR and DVH???
In 2007 we were down 28-0 to the Vols at halftime. That was a great year for defense?
On the whole of the season, yes. 2nd best in the Richt era, compared to the average points allowed in SEC games in a given season.
Football is about winning games, not stats.
OK... whatever that means.
@ anon 10:07
Wow, Jeff Garcia got traded from the Raiders to the Cocks?
Who knew?
Holy crap! I agree with Mark Bradley for a change!
Free Willie!
Mark Bradley is 100% right.
If you disagree with more than 1 of his 5 points, you need to wake up and smell the coffee.
I am sure that no one is reading this any more, but...Texas_Dawg, great numbers. However, I think you may be looking at this from the wrong position. Look at the number of games the Dawgs have won when giving up 20+, 25+, and 30+ points. The past few seasons we have given up way too many big numbers. Granted, this season they have pulled W's from large points given up, but that is simply not the norm. The basis for my Willie issues is that he allows too many big numbers and he is unable to adjust during games. Is this a lack of talent or coaching? If it is players, simply recruit better and coach up the guys you have. Neither has he done. Is it scheme? Well, devise a more stout defensive scheme. He has failed to do this as well. Changes need to be made following this season.
You're right - the AJC is dead. That's why the hysterical articles - 'MAN BITES DOG'. It's really pretty pathetic at this point. Thank goodness for places like this! www.wedgeorgia.com
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