That's not to inflate Vanderbilt into something they aren't. Just to say, it was a nice way to spend the day enjoying college football. Versus let's say...I don't know...poking your eyes out with a rusty nail like the prior week in Neyland Stadium.
The positives were the tempo, the play of most of the defense, Prince Miller on punt returns, Reshad Jones, the Defensive Line and obviously AJ Green.
The big negatives were the fake punt, the play of Bryan Evans, and subbing Logan Gray for Prince Miller at midfield on punt returns for no logical reason imaginable to any human whose initials aren't Jon Fabris. I do understand why you don't put Prince Miller in the game to field a punt on the 10 yardline. He's explosive (See Bama '08), but he makes some bad decisions (See UT '09) in that spot. But really...midfield? As a CB he makes me exceptionally nervous, but as a punt return he's EXACTLY what the team needs. A playmaker. Treat him that way.
As for Evans, I don't get into calling players out generally. Inman being the glaring exception. So I'll put as positive a spin on this as possible. Bacarri Rambo is a better college football player today, tomorrow and yesterday. He makes more plays, and he should be starting. Period. See...that's positive about Rambo instead of negative about Bryan.
But it's Monday at lunch, and those issues have been talked to death. Mostly, I'm happy with the game. But...
An issue that's been bothering me for a few weeks is Richt and Bobo's pursuit of a Balanced Offense. I personally think there are four kinds of offenses:
A. Offenses that run the ball very well
B. Offenses that pass the ball very well
C. Offenses that do both very well.
D. Offenses that do neither very well.
B. Offenses that pass the ball very well
C. Offenses that do both very well.
D. Offenses that do neither very well.
There is no Option E called "Offenses That are Balanced." Being balanced is simply a means to an end...moving the ball and scoring points. Balance is not a stand alone goal. Being balanced is like being Mrs. Congenality. It's worth commenting on how nice Mrs. Congenality is, but people would much rather stare at the absolute hotness of the pageant winner.
I mostly like Bobo as a play caller, and I don't think he's part of the systemic issues we have in Athens right now. But the one area where I disagree with him completely is the apparent pursuit of balance for balance's sake. If we can complete passes to AJ Green, and we can't run the ball early in games. Let's try throwing it to AJ until they prove they can stop it. Let's not stop throwing it to AJ just because he's double covered. He can most certainly beat double coverage from Vandy level talent. Let's leverage AJ to get the running game loosened up.
The coaches would probably describe the results of the 4th quarter as UGA having done what I described above. I would argue that Vandy just got discouraged and stopped fighting in the fourth, and that was what opened the running game. But whatever.
Blutarsky touched on this a bit in one of his recaps after the game. I was in pretty much total agreement.
Mostly, I have positives from that game. Particulary, the fact that I think Reshad Jones might have played his best game as a Bulldog.
What was your take?
PWD
33 comments:
If AJ is double covered, then someone is going to be open; maybe a TIGHT END!
The tight end is a major weapon in college. Something Bobo might have either forgotten about from time to time.
I wonder what effect having Bobo on the sideline has. It certainly makes it easier for him and Richt to talk. He can talk to the entire offense as well. I bet that this continues for a while.
We completed 3 passes to TEs for 38 yards.
We had a 4th pass intended for Orson Charles intercepted.
We had 3 more passes intended for Aron White that were not caught. (per the game Play by Play on ESPN.com)
That's 7 of 31 passes to TEs (23% of all attempts).
AJ Green by comparison had 6 balls sent in his direction.
The real problem with our TEs is that none of them block well enough to execute our running game very well. If Orson would step up his blocking, he would take the vast # of snaps from Aron White, and we'd have more completions to TEs and more attempts.
(That said...this game aside...we do need to throw to the TE more. But in this one they threw to them way more than you think)
I was pleasantly surprised to see Bobo on the sidelines getting himself more directly involved in the game.
For likely several reasons, Offensive Coordinators have migrated to sitting in the booth and enjoying the advantages of seeing the entire defense and each particular set. With that said, wouldn't it also make sense for a DC to sit in the booth right next to the OC?
Most DC's are on the field to inspire their players and to be directly involved in the action. Thus, I think it's a great idea to have Bobo on the field, injecting energy and enthusiasm into his guys.
Furthermore, wouldn't it be great to have Kirby Smart and Mike Bobo on the field together as their respective units dominate the rest of the conference?
Sounds good to me.
On the second punt coverage, I saw Logan Gray ask Prince if he wanted to go in. Logan stood put his hands up to ask, but Prince ran back to cover. That happened a couple more times -- I think Prince must have the option to sit out since he is playing on defense every play.
Three things here. One- I coached Bacarri in high school so I am a little partial, but it does appear that he is the better player. Two- I like Bobo, but I wonder if we are just looking to see if we are running it as many times as we've thrown it and vice versa. Who cares if we are balanced? If we can win throwing it 30 times then do it. If we can win running it 40 times, do that. Sure, you have to mix it up, but if we find that something is working then we should use that until the other team stops it. Three- Use the tight end. Position by position we may be more talented here than anywhere and it puts added pressure on the other team.
Pretty good game by Georgia. I agree with almost all of it, PWD. I still don't understand some of BoBo's playcalling. We drive the field, running toss sweeps over and over, then on the next series we go 3 and out- two passes and an attempted screen. With a team like Vandy, we could of run toss sweeps all day resulting in 3rd and short almost every time....I think it goes back to what you were saying...trying to be balanced for balance's sake.
I think the balanced playcalling approach works fairly well for UGA in most seasons. The problem is, this isn't most seasons. I agree we need to start throwing to AJ earlier and more often. Maybe that will open things up for the run.
It was good to see some decent runs by our backs on Saturday. Maybe this backfield competition will give them that spark we've been looking for.
"Keep doing it until they stop you"....did you see the SC and Bammers game? Spurrier called three straight fades to the same WR on the same side of the field. When Erin asked him about it halftime, he said it was open every time so why not keep going to it? I would like to see us do that with AJ.....keep going to him until they double team him and then take advantage.
A win is a win is a win.
I am high on Jones right now. He is becoming the safety we thought he could be. Rambo should play.
I am also really pleased with how Munz. progressed in that game. In the 1st quarter he was really not playing well. He missed a couple of blocks and didn't look into it at all. He really turned it around after that.
Now let's see what happens in two weeks.
What happened to that guy with all the national title talk from Auburn?
Another two cents on the "balanced" offense issue. If that is a goal should it not be based on yardage rather than number of plays anyway? I remember in the early '90's after Colorado hired Neuheisel as OC and the goal was to average over 200 yds rushing and over 200 yds passing per game. That seems like a better way to look at it IF that is you focus. It seems all year people have talked about this issue with UGA in terms of plays run instead of yardage gained. Who cares how many of each play type is run. It would seem the more important thing would be to have both the run and pass be effective from a production standpoint so the defense can't key on one or the other. If I am a D coordinator who cares if you run 50% of the time if you can't do it effectively. That is just half of your plays that you are easier to stop.
Yeah, nice to see Rashad turn it on during his last year. Better late than never, huh?
Hopefully he plays lights out in 2 weeks and solidifies himself as a
1st team All-SEC safety.
Lol, the fade Spurrier kept trying was never open. Hence, it never worked. That example would better fit the fact that coaches see something on film that should work, then when it doesn't they will stubbornly do it over and over and over...
Good point on the "balance for balance sake" PWD. While it was nice to have a breather this past Saturday, we have to remember that this Vandy team is just plain bad. The Dawgs still struggled in many areas this weekend. Cox was bad early on. The running game was bad yet again (not taking into account the garbage time of the 4th quarter). Evans is simply bad. And the D still had problems with the PA roll out. I fear that the GAYtors constant use of play action is going to drive CWM and our D nuts! Here's hope to covering the spread!
If calling plays from the sideline helped Bobo out, then maybe Willie should try calling a game for the coaching box upstairs! It's not like he could be any worse from up there!
Awesome,
"Cox was bad early on."
You mean when his receivers dropped 4 of his first 6 passes?
I'm all for Willie calling the defense from the upstairs box....provided we can turn off his headset.
Paul,
Dead on. I was at UGA from '77 to '81 and attended most of the games in 1980. That season we were not a "balanced" team and it worked out pretty good for us. Go back and look in your media guide at the number of carries Herschel had - unbelievable - I think he AVERAGED something like 30-35 a game. I like Bobo but I think at times he outthinks himself. Sometimes it is as simple as "do it until they stop it". We are wasting #8 - One of the five most talented players we have EVER HAD ON CAMPUS. Throw him the ball until they stop it then soemeone eles should be wide open. I'm not saying totally give up on the run but, at this point, it is obvious that we are not going to run the ball effectively against top defenses.
And on a final note, Bryan Evans must have pictures on Martinez. There is no other reason in the world that Rambo should not start and play 80%+ of the snaps.
Will Figgins play against Flarduh? We could really use a guy that can cacth and block.
To pile onto the SEC refs: Anybody notice the Vandy sack of Cox where a lineman ended up w/ Joe's towel and he threw it up in the air like Jake Locker? Isn't that drawing attention to yourself? Why no call?
If the SEC is going to make buckets of dough and be a feeder for the NFL, they need to start recruiting and paying refs at a higher and more exacting standard.
Figgins is going to take a redshirt
Since Mike Moore seems to drop (or pop up) just about every pass sent his way, put Orson in the slot and let Artie Lynch line up as an extra blocker. Orson shows tremendous hands and has now apparently learned how to catch a pass, put the ball down and jog back to the huddle without calling attention to himself.
Ocho Dos is just too streaky. Oh, and Rambo is the better alternative to Bryan "See me trail this long pass play, again" Evans.
1. Miller apparently takes himself out on Punt Returns. There's also the issue, of course, that Georgia planning for a fake apparently equates to a base defense + Logan Gray deep.
2. I don't think Fabris works punt returns. I may be wrong here.
3. Coverage was outkicked on Miller's really good return (I don't recall if that was true on the other return). That follows a pattern for him going into last season.
spurrier throwing that fade 5 times was the dumbest thing ive ever seen! the cb stuck that wr like glue every time. you run a play til it works in practice, not when facing the #2 team in the country with an opportunity to tie the game.
if you want to talk about "do it til they stop you", talk about how bama lined up in wildcat and ingram ran EVERY TIME and sc was helpless to defend it. 246 yds for ingram! its ridiculous how good that team is. i want kirby!!
I just figured Evans is getting the same treatment as Cox, he's a senior, he's been in the program a while, so he gets to play. It doesn't matter that he stunk at corner and got benched, he's a senior we gotta find him a place. I see way more of his dreads than I do of his eyes.
@ Dwight Schrute -
Saw the towel toss play as well, and wondered immediately that when there wasn't a flag, why CMR wasn't on the field and in the ref's back pocket screaming at him. If we want to change the penalty-aura we have, that would be a good place to start.
"He [AJ] can most certainly beat double coverage from Vandy level talent."
Vandy's secondary statistically is one of the best in the country actually. Not saying Green's not better, but don't underestimate them there. Easily the strongest point of their team.
i agree with MoDawgs. Since Moore has apparently shut it down, why not put Orson in the slot and let White or Lynch block at TE?
Orson has proven he's a matchup problem, but he's a matchup problem over the middle, not down the sideline 1 on 1 against a corner.
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I've been seeing a lot of NFL teams use the end around action(Branden Smith or AJ) to set up a screen for their RBs (Caleb or Carlton). Fake the end around hand off and then turn around to the other side and throw a screen. Bobo needs to get something like that going.
For some reason Bobo has gone away from a lot of the more complicated ball fakes and misdirection he used to call. Think CFA bowl vs. VaTech.
any thoughts?
Yeah we really look good against the best 2-4 team in the nation.
Thats my take.
Fabris most certainly has punt return (and kickoff). Ball has kick return, Searels XP/FG, and Lily punt. Can't remember who was XP/FG block, either Jancek or Willie.
And the one thing I don't get, we seem to go out of our way to get the ball to Branden Smith, why not AJ?
We don't use trick plays because trick plays require the DL to be held in check, and our OL isn't holding the DL in check this year. On a side note, I think it's funny that last year when receivers dropped the ball, it was Stafford's fault for throwing too hard or inaccurately, now Mister Accurate JC is having dropsies and pop-ups. We see our OL and WR's other than AJ just aren't that great unfortunately.
A player should never have the call on whether or not he is in the next play. Barring an injury, that should be a coaches decision. An athlete that is in as good as shape as these athletes should be, should not be out of breath even after three straight sprints to cover a guy deep. Heck, Miller is usually NOT covering his guy, so he should be fully rested.
And to the other ANON up top, how do you know what Gray was asking Miller?
Anybody know our record on defending fake punts in the Richt era? I think opponents are near 100% successful in executing the fake against us and off the top of my head, there have been about 6 or 7. Two already this year.
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