Couple of observations during a GT-less Saturday

[Skeptic]

Yes, Navy looked real smooth and did not attempt a forward pass while I was watching (most of the second half).

Navy reminded me very much, despite being a service academy, of GT last season. Particularly from November on. The offense was just a thing of beauty and made me pine for better days at Tech because I have missed that so.

 

[RonJohn]

Navy reminded me very much, despite being a service academy, of GT last season. Particularly from November on. The offense was just a thing of beauty and made me pine for better days at Tech because I have missed that so.

From all of the discussion in this thread, it must have been all of the quick slants that Navy threw that impressed you so much. As many in this thread have stated, it is not possible to beat a quality team relying solely on the run.

 

[ATL1]

Yes, Navy looked real smooth and did not attempt a forward pass while I was watching (most of the second half).

They also were playing a team that had never faced the TO offense before. Remember that game against Pitt. Navy is having a great year no doubt, but I've seen Navy have similar games that GT is having with lesser opponents.

 

[GTJake]

They also were playing a team that had never faced the TO offense before. Remember that game against Pitt. Navy is having a great year no doubt, but I've seen Navy have similar games that GT is having with lesser opponents.

Yes, I realize this and I too am an advocate of having a passing threat ... just saying when the TO is rolling IMO it's fun to watch.

 

[Legal Jacket]

1. It makes a huge difference running the TO when the quarterback is decisive and attacks the defense. I love JT, but watching Keenan Reynolds is night and day. Reynolds has a lot more reps in the offense and I'm sure that makes a difference. Hopefully JT will be hit during spring. I wonder if no contact during spring and summer made him a little timid and caused a potential step back in aggressiveness this season?

#1 is a bit unfair to me. Memphis has the #80 scoring defense in the country, giving up 28.7 ppg. They gave up 44 to Bowling Green, 46 to Cincy, and 42 to Tulsa. On the other hand, the defenses we've played are much, much better. Duke, despite giving up a billion to UNC, is still hanging around the top 30 in scoring defense. Clemson and FSU are around the back end of the top 10. UNC is in the top 25. Notre Dame has given up points, but their defense passes the eye test and played its best game of the season against us. Pitt's had a pretty good run D this year.

The only team we should have steamrolled on offense that we didn't is Virginia. Sure, Reynolds looked good against Memphis. But Memphis doesn't have a Jaylon Smith, Shaq Lawson, Jalen Ramsay, etc. etc. There may not even be a single defensive player on Memphis who makes the pros. In your words, "I'm sure that makes a difference."

The lack of aggressiveness you see is because we have faced some really tough Ds this year and our OL hasn't been giving JT time to react. We'd put up an easy 40 against Memphis.