Defense

[LongforDodd]

Here's a question for you, and I don't pretend to know. A lifetime friend who has remained so despite matriculating at Georgia Tech, and who enjoys Georgia Tech football but is not a born again with it, had this theory when I pondered it with him a couple of years ago. Maybe, he said, Georgia Tech is not the place for and doesn't attract those man-eating and fire-breathing beasts who dismantle offenses. In short, it is the culture of the institution and not that of the head ball coach in play here. I don't know, but I found it interesting anyway, and it was the best he could do.

That's the absolute truth. As has been said many times before, those types of players, generally, are not geared towards the academic challenges that the institute throws at our SA's.

 

[Skeptic]

The D got two stops out of 5 possessions in the second half. How many times have we said we could win if our D would only get 1-2 stops a game?

UT changed tempo in the second half and our guys struggled to adjust to it. Some, but not all, of the blame goes to CTR.

Ultimately, we didn't lose this game because of late defensive collapses. We lost this game because we lacked the ability to put the game out of reach.

Our kick-off & field goal kicking is at dumpster fire level. The missed field goals and two fumble are why we lost this game. The jury is still out on how good UT actually is, but I watched us destroy their D with a new QB and a new BB and our best AB on the bench. I also watched the D being maligned in this thread hold UT to 96 yards in the first half and get two key stops in the second half. I think we saw improvement last night. Yes, they relapsed in the late second half, but we played 2 1/2 good quarters last night. That's something to build on.

Reading this and other D comments made me sit my wretched soul down and do a four-hour penance by watching the game again, fast-forwarding a lot of the offense to look at the defense again. To my surprise I am in general agreement. The defense wasn't bad enough to lose, though that frustrating habit of giving up touchdowns in a hurry came out again, completely neutralizing the TOP advantage. I know, 42 points is a bunch, but that's where the game is and nothing illustrates it better than the NC game(s) with two great defenses: points get scored. But 41 should have won no question, though the real number there is 28 in regulation, and we blow it with a bad kick at the end. As you note, the defense did get stops we have been asking for. And yeah, that probable 14-point swing on the 2nd quarter Green turnover killed us, but geez, I was proud of them for gearing up and going right back down to score before the half.

And yes, place kicking of any kind was sad. Butker spoiled us the last three years when we learned to relax on kickoffs because they weren't coming out. It is white knuckle time again.

 

[slugboy]

I've always wanted to see what a Tenuta defense would do paired with a Paul Johnson offense...it seems like those two systems would play off each other perfectly. I hated watching our defensive players get demoralized when they'd make a huge stop or turnover, then have a Pat Nix offense give it right back with a quick 3 and out. Of course, now we're kind of getting the opposite. Whoops.

I'd love to see Derek Mason defensive schemes with a CPJ offense. He seems like CPJ, but on defense (https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/sec-football/what-sec-can-learn-from-defensive-guru-derek-mason/ )
I also like what Gary Patterson did on defense at TCU--it seems to be a "get old, stay old" model--but we can't recruit the same kinds of players he can.
I think if Mason can get a top 25 defense at Vandy, then we should be able to be top 40 here.

 

[Lavoisier]

I think Derek Mason is one of the best coaches in the game. He had great defenses at Stanford and he got Vanderbilt into a bowl last year. They were super close to taking down some pretty good teams and beat some teams they had no business beating. He's also doing it without pulling James Franklin's helicopter antics and negative recruiting. He will get a big time job offer soon.

 

[FightWinDrink]

I think Derek Mason is one of the best coaches in the game. He had great defenses at Stanford and he got Vanderbilt into a bowl last year. They were super close to taking down some pretty good teams and beat some teams they had no business beating. He's also doing it without pulling James Franklin's helicopter antics and negative recruiting. He will get a big time job offer soon.

Amazing how much of a difference a year can make. People were calling for his head at the start of last year, but I'm glad for him to have turned the corner at Vandy. My sister lives near Vandy and she said he's pretty well liked in the area so I think it has been a good experience for everyone there to see him start to succeed.

 

[bravejason]

My thoughts on the defense was that it surrendered 4 TD's in about 18:30 minutes of possession by UT. Looking at the UT TD drives, it's even worse:
8 plays 46 yd 2:30 TOP.
7 plays 70 yd 2:32 TOP.
5 plays 61 yd 1:15 TOP.
7 plays 93 yd 3:21 TOP.

27 plays 270 yd 9:38 TOP. The big plays were a killer. This is also what has killed GT in many games against uga.

Another concern is that after the first couple of UT offensive possessions, the GT defense never came close to tackling the QB in passing plays. A few times early on they got to him, but after that it there was nothing.

My biggest concern is that in OT UT never struggled to score. Both times they moved the ball 25 yards and needed just 3 plays each time to do so and one had got the impression that UT could have continued scoring at will in OT indefinitely.

 

[okiemon]

I think Derek Mason is one of the best coaches in the game. He had great defenses at Stanford and he got Vanderbilt into a bowl last year. They were super close to taking down some pretty good teams and beat some teams they had no business beating. He's also doing it without pulling James Franklin's helicopter antics and negative recruiting. He will get a big time job offer soon.

I wonder if D.C. at Ga Tech is big-time enough?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[tech_wreck47]

We lost the game because of defense, special teams, and offense (fumbles) I said this before but it's true. We can't just blame the D. Although it does seem we changed our game plan on D the second half. I was at the game so kinda hard to tell while screaming (I jumped up one time and screamed so hard I got light headed and felt like I was going to pass out lol) I will need to rewatch to see if we did do anything different or not. I will say, the D looked faster and more aggressive the first half than what I saw all of last year which is encouraging. If our D can play that way for the full game with the way our offense played, we could be scary good. The big thing that gives me hope this year is the level we played at, I can't remember playing this solid early in the season against a good opponent.

 

[Yoda]

Joe Lee Dunn

 

[alagold]

Joe Lee Dunn

Y,
good input,a name from the past,his DEFs were "unique" for sure
I played hi school ball with Joe, he never comes to reunions so I don't where he is now

 

[Jmonty71]

I would really, really, really, really be interested in what our FEI rating is. However; they don't come out with it until week 5, I think. But, nonetheless, it would be interesting. Our 3rd down conv rate was better. However; we surrendered point after point, in the second half. No, the turnovers and the bad kicking, didn't help. But, damn it.... The D has to make a play, at some time.

 

[bke1984]

My biggest concern is that in OT UT never struggled to score. Both times they moved the ball 25 yards and needed just 3 plays each time to do so and one had got the impression that UT could have continued scoring at will in OT indefinitely.

Yep, that's why we went for two. Don't botch that play and we're all ignoring the bad kicking, bad defense, turnovers, etc. and talking about how this is Johnson's "best team ever," and how we're going to "win it all."

Funny how one play changes mindsets

It's just one game...on offense and defense it's just one...never as good or bad as it seems. But hell guys, that game sure feels like a microcosm of what we've been since Johnson's been our coach, and that is:

A really good offense that turns the ball over too often and a below-average defense with a tendency to surrender huge plays at will.

I need it to be Saturday already so we can hopefully get a victory and I can move on from this nightmare, lol

 

[Sideways]

Joe Lee Dunn

Now there is a name from the past. Defensive coordinator that was well traveled but had a couple of outstanding defenses at Ole Miss. Always attacking with blitzes. Famous for never using a cover sheet (remind you of someone else you know) and wearing saddle shoes on the sidelines. Quite a character.

 

[Squints]

Ultimately, we didn't lose this game because of late defensive collapses. We lost this game because we lacked the ability to put the game out of reach.

I know you're not exactly excusing the defense here but a late defensive collapse has a major effect on the ability to put the game out of reach.

 

[lv20gt]

I know you're not exactly excusing the defense here but a late defensive collapse has a major effect on the ability to put the game out of reach.

We only scored 28 points in regulation and the offense had a large role in 7 of the points we gave up. How is it on the defense that the game wasn't out of reach? They'd have had to pitch a damn near shut out for that to be the case.

 

[Jmonty71]

I'd love to see Derek Mason defensive schemes with a CPJ offense. He seems like CPJ, but on defense (https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/sec-football/what-sec-can-learn-from-defensive-guru-derek-mason/ )
I also like what Gary Patterson did on defense at TCU--it seems to be a "get old, stay old" model--but we can't recruit the same kinds of players he can.
I think if Mason can get a top 25 defense at Vandy, then we should be able to be top 40 here.

True! Truth!

 

[Jmonty71]

I know you're not exactly excusing the defense here but a late defensive collapse has a major effect on the ability to put the game out of reach.

No. I don't think that is what AJ was going at. He was merely saying that there was more at fault, than just the D. He was eluding to the lost fumbles, giving UT points. He was eluding to the bad FG tries. Face it, the turnovers and special team play, put our D in bad field position, at times. Now, yes the D has to make stops. But, that last fumble was like a sucker punch that took the wind out of the team. After the fumble, there was no fire in our D's eyes. That means there is no real leadership among the D. The D didn't rise up. They didn't make the big stops. Lack of leadership? Lack of preparation? Lack of coaching? All could be an answer. All could be wrong. If there is a leader on the D, I'd like to know who it is. Because, I don't see that. I saw an unenthusiastic, down trodded, defeated D, all second half. Whether it be a coach, the DC, a senior or any player. Someone should of fired that D up and got them to shake off whatever. Its not talent, its a lack of leadership. It a lack of coaching the soul and a lack of getting players excited. Just my 2 cents as to where that was going.

 

[Squints]

We only scored 28 points in regulation and the offense had a large role in 7 of the points we gave up. How is it on the defense that the game wasn't out of reach? They'd have had to pitch a damn near shut out for that to be the case.

Well in that post I was speaking in general terms. Not about last Friday. I wouldn't put that L solely on the defense. And never did.

That being said if you really want to go there I think the hand waving away of their issues is nuts. They did not have to pitch a shut out. They had to be competent. They needed to give up less than 21 points in the second half. Not giving up 9.5 yards a play at the time would have been pretty cool too. I don't think that's a particularly high bar to set. Would the bar have been even lower without the fumbles and missed FGs? Of course it would. But that doesn't mean we should ignore the defense completely ****ting the bed in the second half and OT. That was a problem. Not to mention, there was only one TFL and no sacks the entire game. There were no QB hurries nor hits as far as I can remember. These are problems. And, unfortunately, they're not new ones. Why is it so hard to just admit the defense was also an issue against Tennessee? I don't remember you being this lenient on the offense after a similar drop-off in performance during last year's Duke game.

 

[GTech63]

Well in that post I was speaking in general terms. Not about last Friday. I wouldn't put that L solely on the defense. And never did.

That being said if you really want to go there I think the hand waving away of their issues is nuts. They did not have to pitch a shut out. They had to be competent. They needed to give up less than 21 points in the second half. Not giving up 9.5 yards a play at the time would have been pretty cool too. I don't think that's a particularly high bar to set. Would the bar have been even lower without the fumbles and missed FGs? Of course it would. But that doesn't mean we should ignore the defense completely ****ting the bed in the second half and OT. That was a problem. Not to mention, there was only one TFL and no sacks the entire game. There were no QB hurries nor hits as far as I can remember. These are problems. And, unfortunately, they're not new ones. Why is it so hard to just admit the defense was also an issue against Tennessee? I don't remember you being this lenient on the offense after a similar drop-off in performance during last year's Duke game.

If The D held a 93 yard drive to FG instead of TD. no not asking to be perfect but the bend dont break didn.t work/

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

There were no QB hurries nor hits as far as I can remember.

There were several hurries and hits, just no sacks and the one TFL.