Defense in 2015

[Northeast Stinger]

Does anyone remember the article from last year about how the coaches were trying to get the defense to get turnovers during practice?

How if the defense got a turn over the offense and the coaches had to do push-ups?

I think that helped us tremendously in the turnover game, esp. UGA and Pitt

I don't remember that but I like the story.

 

[InsideLB]

Vic Alexander IMO is a possible defensive X factor for next year. Wouldnt suprise me if he doesnt redshirt and gets minutes on D and ST. He's whoopass in a can.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

we didn't do anything last year that would show one more year of experience would make us better. it was just turn overs we were good at. That doesn't indicate our run d or passing d would be any better this year from last year. We were decent at red zone d aswel but that still wouldn't indicate we would be better from one more year of experience. I do agree hunt days will make us better, and other guys like whitehead. I also believe we will be better on d but not because of what we accomplished last year in d but because guys have gotten bigger and because of the new guys coming in. Like you said huntdays will help out d out a lot because other teams owned us at the line of scrimmage which hurt us in all positions. Oh and miss at still had over 400 yards on us so the d kinda out us in a place to where they could have came back way easier than they should have.

Will just have to disagree. I saw a defense last year that hustled like none I have seen at Tech in perhaps 20 years or so. That tells me that with experience, learning more of the defense and getting bigger we will see improvement.

As for the Orange Bowl, I just see it completely differently than you. If we have a 3 touchdown lead, we can trade touchdowns and depending on "whose turn it is" as CPJ put it, we end up winning by either 2 or 3 touchdowns. I totally discount the yards passing that Missy State accrued in the second half because I saw what CTR was doing on defense. He was going to make Miss State take the long road to scoring which meant there was never going to be enough time for them to catch up. I remember thinking at the time how brilliant the strategy was and then the camera showed the Tech defensive coaches up in the press box area and they were laughing and joking and looking relaxed. Missy State was fighting for respectability with a lot of those garbage yards, winning was wishful thinking.

 

[JacketFromUGA]

Honestly the biggest difference from the 2014 defense and the ones of the previous 4 years came down to this quote from my fiancee who in 5 years of me trying to teach her football still is at a lost.

"They aren't doing the classic Tech giving up anymore."

 

[Skeptic]

Not to nitpick, but we had a 15 point lead with 14:53 left in the game. It was in hand, but it wasn't close to over until we scored our final TD with 12 minutes left. Otherwise an MSU stop followed by another TD would have resulted in a one possession game.

After Days went 69 yards I never had that clinched fist, don't look feeling, and Tech has had more moments like that than I want to remember. It was over in my mind and the only question was how much at the end, meaning it was easy to simply enjoy the rout. (It was never, ever, going to be UNC at the end.) I get the script you lay out, but by the same logic, we might have scored yet again inside of 12 minutes, or on our second game possession -- seemed to me we were moving the ball and then ... -- and then of course there was that terrific hail Mary at the half. MSU gets my full credit for that, and betcha Roof is doing some basketball teaching about find-a-man-and-box-out (Marcordes, I think it was). But odds had to be worse than winning the kick-and-pick Ga. game. That being said I surely would like to see some of that 'tween the 20s yardage sliced. If nothing else to give our offense the ball back. Think about what two more turns a game might mean.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

I think we'll be better for sure and by a large margin if JHD makes grades. That one position is so critical to the overall defense. A good player there, makes everybody better. A bad player there, makes everybody worse.

Even if he doesn't make grades, we could still be better. We won't be worse.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

After Days went 69 yards I never had that clinched fist, don't look feeling...

I doubt it was our fists most of us were clenching....

 

[Frenchise]

I don't remember that but I like the story.

Found it, wasn't exactly as I recall, but in some other articles from Spring 2014, CPJ talks about the defense keeping track of turnovers.

http://www.si.com/college-football/2014/10/09/georgia-tech-yellow-jackets-justin-thomas

 

[UgaBlows]

Vic Alexander IMO is a possible defensive X factor for next year. Wouldnt suprise me if he doesnt redshirt and gets minutes on D and ST. He's whoopass in a can.

On Certain downs he needs to be put in and just told to seek and destroy the QB

 

[danny daniel]

Does anyone remember the article from last year about how the coaches were trying to get the defense to get turnovers during practice?

How if the defense got a turn over the offense and the coaches had to do push-ups?

I think that helped us tremendously in the turnover game, esp. UGA and Pitt

I remember the O play in practice not being over until the ball was returned to the coach to set the next play

 

[Minawreck]

Found it, wasn't exactly as I recall, but in some other articles from Spring 2014, CPJ talks about the defense keeping track of turnovers.

http://www.si.com/college-football/2014/10/09/georgia-tech-yellow-jackets-justin-thomas

I remember being very glad to hear this was an emphasis, because we were absolutely terrible at creating turnovers in 2013.

 

[Skeptic]

Will just have to disagree. I saw a defense last year that hustled like none I have seen at Tech in perhaps 20 years or so. That tells me that with experience, learning more of the defense and getting bigger we will see improvement. . .

Have to admit it is not every day a D back chases down a breakaway back, virtually the length of the field, makes the tackle short of the goal line, causes a fumble through the end zone, and gives Tech the ball. Probably flipped the whole mindset of Pittsburgh. That was one of your pure "want to" plays.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

Have to admit it is not every day a D back chases down a breakaway back, virtually the length of the field, makes the tackle short of the goal line, causes a fumble through the end zone, and gives Tech the ball. Probably flipped the whole mindset of Pittsburgh. That was one of your pure "want to" plays.

Milton chased down Chubb in the mutt game and knocked him out at the one. Chubb later fumbled so that's a big hustle play too.

 

[MidtownJacket]

My feeling is similar to a couple of the other guys here.

I think a clinical look at our Defense as a whole last year shows so pretty apparent weak spots. That said, the philosophy of our coaches was taught and executed well. I do firmly believe that a significant amount of the turnovers happened as a direct result of extra effort in the play and additional film study to understand tendencies and jump routes.

If we accept those elements as truth - it makes me think we will be even better next year with some honest upgrades to the DL and additional bodies to throw in the secondary. Add in additional time at the position for the returning guys and I think we are going to see a real step forward next year.

 

[33jacket]

Milton chased down Chubb in the mutt game and knocked him out at the one. Chubb later fumbled so that's a big hustle play too.

so was tackling the guy on the fake FG

The one thing about that d...they play...maybe not well...but they play to the whistle. That is all anyone can control and they do it.

 

[Skeptic]

so was tackling the guy on the fake FG

The one thing about that d...they play...maybe not well...but they play to the whistle. That is all anyone can control and they do it.

See what Stinger started? I'd even add the OT interception to beat Georgia for the sheer willpower to not give ground to a receiver with some leverage.

 

[Whiskey_Clear]

I think the D was more athletic in the secondary than we have been in a while. And I think that played a big part in the turnovers we got. Add a stout D line and a legitimate pass rush.....Katie bar the door.

 

[Oldgoldandwhite]

The games we lost, we scored:
25
43
35
We hold them to 24 and under, we go undefeated.