Better Than We Think

Boomergump

Boomergump

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I was just looking over the stats of each of the games in our 4 game losing streak (don't ask me why) thinking about how poorly we have played and all. Then when I read the actual numbers, it sunk in a little, despite finding ways to lose and executing way below our ability level, we could actually be a pretty good team at the core.

Hear me out. First off, let's throw out the CLEM game where we got crushed and really had no chance. In the other three losses, do you realize we had more first downs and TOP than our opponent in EVERY contest, and it really wasn't that close. It was roughly 5 more first downs in each game and maybe 10 minutes of TOP advantage. Do you realize, as a team, we surrendered 34 points to DUKE on a total of 11 first downs and 270 YDs? In two of the three losses we had more total yards. Don't even get me started on the UNC game.

So, what am I trying to say? Well, I am saying that there is a HUGE difference between finding ways to lose and getting whipped. The former is a lot easier (albeit not always easy) to fix.

I will say this, GT having a successful season from here on out will be a lot more about us taking care of ourselves than anything if it is going to happen. We will not need opponent injuries, fortunate officiating, bad games by the opponent, crazy bounces, or anything like that. We just need to stop falling on our own sword and play the way we are capable of.
 
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OldJacketFan

OldJacketFan

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Boomer, I'm glad you posted this. I was setting my DVR this morning and the guide had our stats as part of the preview. I was surprised at the numbers overall! Like you said it's one thing to whipped, it's another to just not play clean. A loss is a loss but it does goes deeper than that, there a boatload of talent for the coaches to work with. As I said in another thread, if you're going to get Tech you'd better get them this year!
 

GTL

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Boomer, I was thinking along similar lines. Against ND, Duke and UNC we were basically one play away from a win. Not to take anything away from those three teams, but it was our own miscues that cost us those games.

They still would have been ugly wins. But I'd take 'em!
 
tech_wreck47

tech_wreck47

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Thanks for the stats, a lot of the reason we lost those games even though we somewhat out played them, is because of our offense turning the ball over and giving the other team a short field. If you take the short field touchdowns they have gotten away I wouldn't be suprised if we won at least two of those three.
 
GTonTop88

GTonTop88

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Boomergump said:
I was just looking over the stats of each of the games in our 4 game losing streak (don't ask me why) thinking about how poorly we have played and all. Then when I read the actual numbers, it sunk in a little, despite finding ways to lose and executing way below our ability level, we could actually be a pretty good team at the core.

Hear me out. First off, let's throw out the CLEM game where we got crushed and really had no chance. In the other three losses, do you realize we had more first downs and TOP than our opponent in EVERY contest, and it really wasn't that close. It was roughly 5 more first downs in each game and maybe 10 minutes of TOP advantage. Do you realize, as a team, we surrendered 34 points to DUKE on a total of 11 first downs and 270 YDs? In two of the three losses we had more total yards. Don't even get me started on the UNC game.

So, what am I trying to say? Well, I am saying that there is a HUGE difference between finding ways to lose and getting whipped. The former is a lot easier (albeit not always easy) to fix.

I will say this, GT having a successful season from here on out will be a lot more about us taking care of ourselves than anything if it is going to happen. We will not need opponent injuries, fortunate officiating, bad games by the opponent, crazy bounces, or anything like that. We just need to stop falling on our own sword and play the way we are capable of.
Click to expand...
Just need a home run or 2 in those games and we come out on top or high school level special teams play. Hope we make a turn today.
 

lv20gt

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The only game you could realistically find a way to argue that we found a way to lose in the last 4 was UNC. The other 3 teams whipped us. Clemson and ND are obvious, and Duke the ToP and first down "victories" are a result of our ST and offense being so bad that Duke got several short fields where they didn't need to get a lot of first downs our hold the ball to score.

Against ND a big reason we "won" the ToP and first down battles was because we had a ~6 minute 5 first down drive with 7 minutes left in the game down by 23. Against Duke we "won" the ToP and first downs because our offense and ST continuously gave Duke the ball either directly into the endzone, or with a short field to get to it. First downs and ToP are a result of our bad play, not indicative that we played better.

And ToP is extremely overrated here. We're a team that runs the ball 80% of the time and often takes a lot of time between plays. Of course we will rack of the ToP. We were third last year in it, and 6th the year before. 5th in 2012. ToP is not a good indicator of anything with this offense. When you add in that the team has very little big play ability running the ball, especially with Skov playing as much as he was, then it just inflates it more.
 

33jacket

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I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder. We got beat bad every game imo for different reasons, even duke where we got rocked in the field position game due to special teams stats which was left out.

For me, this isnt a team that lost 3 games due to a bounc of the ball or a bad break. Nd dominated us. Clemson dominated us. Unc beat the living hell out of us after they settled in. If that game went two more quarters they would have scored 21 more.

And duke won how duke wins. Good special teams and field position against error prone teams like gt. I havent seen anyone show that special teams stat. That tells the story for this game. Yards for duke will be low when they snap from the 20. So will top

For me i dont have any optimism in anythig gt has done statistically because its all been bad. What i have optimism is, and a long shot at this stage, the OL wakes up. Snoddy helps coming back. And MM blossoms. Otherwise if it all stays about like it is, we only win 1-2 down the stretch.

Gt stats across the board are paul johnson lows
 
GTNavyNuke

GTNavyNuke

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CPJ said as much ... last year we found a way to win, this year we are finding ways to lose. We are a 2-4 team. It is what it is. There are no style points.

One can argue that two of the losses would have been wins with better ST. But it was a team loss (O, D, ST) in each case.

Just get a W today and enjoy it.
 

Skeptic

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Boomer, I hope you are right, though I don't think we can just throw out the Clemson game because we really were bad by any measure. It culminated a 4-game slide that became a landslide. I understand TOP and all that. I've just never been a big fan of it, and past seasons indicated the fallacy of it, at least to me. We would grind our way down the field, run off six or seven minutes and score. And look at the scoreboard two minutes later to find the other guys just scored. Just a matter of perspective, maybe. (Ironically we need more bustout plays, the Days type distance runs ... which shorten TOP.)

I hope you're on the beam starting today, but to my mind we will not break out until Thomas15 plays like Thomas14. A lot of pressure on one guy and position, but there it is. I will have my fingers crossed at 12:30.
 
awbuzz

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We scored more points against them than any other team so far this year. Unfortunately they scored more against us then they had scored on anybody else.
 
GTFLETCH

GTFLETCH

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OK...If we are better then we think explain how we make a bowl this year...we need four wins to make the Beef Oh Brady who gives a **** bowl... Where are the four wins?

FSU
UVA
VT
Miami
UGA
 

33jacket

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GTFLETCH said:
OK...If we are better then we think explain how we make a bowl this year...we need four wins to make the Beef Oh Brady who gives a **** bowl... Where are the four wins?

FSU
UVA
VT
Miami
UGA
Click to expand...

He has had some really gold colored glasses posts about our team lately. I think he is Just being a good fan and trying to get people to he positive. He knows as we all do we are a dumpster fire
 
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