Expectations for the 2021 season

[Ibeeballin]

Hale hit special teams today. Even after losing Harvin, we’re not at the bottom




Anyone who watched last season, especially the first few games, understands how dangerous our blocking was. I’d be stunned if Key wasn’t blowing a gasket over it. Special teams is one of our biggest needs coming back from last year. If you want a bad number, you can find one:


We didn’t block many kicks, or have many big plays on special teams. Knowing what I do about Collins, it’s got to be a point of emphasis, and I’m sure he’s pushing for a massive improvement this season. With kickoffs, kickoff returns, punts, and punt returns, we didn’t excel, even with the best punter in the country.


Seguira wrote up an article on Special Teams back in January: https://www.ajc.com/sports/georgia-...ial-teams-in-2021/Z4DULBQ5SVE5LBFWY3R65AATHI/

We blocked no kicks or punts last season according to official NCAA stats. Our 6 kicks blocked lead the NCAA in the wrong direction (we were dead last).

We had 0 blocked punts allowed, in a season where we allowed more blocked kicks than anyone, and were allowing a lot of backfield havoc. Harvin was really a gem, and punted quickly.

Some of our basic special teams stats from last season:

		Kick							Punt
Rk	Player	XPM	XPA	XP%	FGM	FGA	FG%	Pts	Punts	Yds	Avg
1	Jude Kelley	4	5	80.0	1	5	20.0	7
2	Gavin Stewart	22	24	91.7	2	3	66.7	28
3	Pressley Harvin III								45	2161	48.0
4	Austin Kent								3	124	41.3

[thead] [/thead]


Provided by CFB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 7/20/2021.

		Kick				Punt
Rk	Player	Ret	Yds	Avg	TD	Ret	Yds	Avg	TD
1	Dontae Smith	10	176	17.6	0	1	0	0.0	0
2	Jahmyr Gibbs	8	205	25.6	0
3	Juanyeh Thomas	3	22	7.3	0
4	Marquez Ezzard					7	55	7.9	0
5	Nate McCollum					5	-1	-0.2	0
6	Josh Blancato					2	7	3.5	0
7	Ahmarean Brown					1	4	4.0	0

[thead] [/thead]


Provided by CFB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 7/20/2021.

Remember, Gibbs had a return called back vs. BC due to penalty

 

[CuseJacket]

 

[CuseJacket]

 

[orientalnc]

And, 65% of people believe they are above average in intelligence.

 

[orientalnc]

I actually agree with Hale regarding our number of wins. It will be tough to get six. If we are indeed better than 2020 and we remain relatively health that can happen. If it does we are probably going to win a bunch of games with ugly scores. Think 42-38 or 56-55 in OT.

 

[GT_EE78]

Thanks for trying to get the thread back on topic.
These people just won't stop.
I think its time to create a separate thread for them.... please

 

[YJMD]

Sounds about right.

In our case, though, it would be hard not to eclipse the win % given the 2 cupcakes added to the schedule.

 

[LibertyTurns]

Sounds about right.

In our case, though, it would be hard not to eclipse the win % given the 2 cupcakes added to the schedule.

Same for just about every P5 school. Hence the 72% being “better” than last year and 92% as good or better. Yeah if you’re undefeated Bammer and you lose a game you’re worse, but the teams that annually average 10-3 and below (that played 4 less games in 2020, at least 3 of which will be against weaker teams) has a much better than average chance of improving their record. Those 10-3 and below teams in 2019 were probably 6-3 last year. They’ll be 10-3 or 9-4 this year.

 

[GTBandman]

Assuming everyone actually gets back to real practice, I really hope almost everyone outside Athens are better this year. Makes for a more enjoyable college football season.

 

[IM79]

That’s the great thing about Tech being in the ATL. We would be a big draw for the Big10 to get the southern market and the eyeballs of all their Alumni transplants. I think we can shake out a winner no matter what. If we are asked again I think we should probably jump on it. Their payouts are larger and there is good basketball in the Big10 as well.

Everyone used to hate everyone else in their conference and now you have to pull for other members as if they are your team. I don’t care about the ACC. Chase the $$$$$$

I go to and watch the games to see Ga Tech play, not the opponents. I'll go no matter who we play as long as we're in a P5 conf. Now, if we get relegated to a G5 conf, then I would be upset but i would still go to the games.

 

[GT_EE78]

just in case anyone ever decides to clean up,
i've marked the off topics with that cute little orange dot

 

[orientalnc]

just in case anyone ever decides to clean up,
i've marked the off topics with that cute little orange dot

Done.

 

[stech81]

just in case anyone ever decides to clean up,
i've marked the off topics with that cute little orange dot

orange ? why not Gold

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

just in case anyone ever decides to clean up,
i've marked the off topics with that cute little orange dot

This post is off topic.

 

[slugboy]

Open practice might give a chance to see how we look

 

[jgtengineer]

New bold expectation given conference realignment things. This may be the last year we play uga

 

[slugboy]

Here's the overall map of Hale's projections:



QB 10
Run 1
Pass 11
OL 14
DL 8
LB 11
DB 9
ST 12

Not that it's a big surprise, but big keys to the season are OL making a major leap forward, receivers improving over the last multiple of seasons, and the defense making a big step up. If our interior DL can play better and healthy and the LB corps step up, that should make our whole defense better. We need a couple of all-ACC types on defense, and hopefully Eley plus someone from our backfield of Swilling, Thomas, and Carpenter make that list.

 

[Coloradojacket]

Here's the overall map of Hale's projections:



QB 10
Run 1
Pass 11
OL 14
DL 8
LB 11
DB 9
ST 12

Not that it's a big surprise, but big keys to the season are OL making a major leap forward, receivers improving over the last multiple of seasons, and the defense making a big step up. If our interior DL can play better and healthy and the LB corps step up, that should make our whole defense better. We need a couple of all-ACC types on defense, and hopefully Eley plus someone from our backfield of Swilling, Thomas, and Carpenter make that list.

Or maybe with the number 1 run game just line up in the bone and never let the other team have the ball.....

 

[majorQ9]

Who's voting for Tech to win the conference?

 

[ncjacket79]

Or maybe with the number 1 run game just line up in the bone and never let the other team have the ball.....

We really need a downvote button.