Film Study - Defense vs UGAg

[Boomergump]

OK. That was a pretty tense experience......again.

The very first thing I want to say is that our guys played with tremendous effort the entire game. I am so proud of them in this regard. We got handled physically. UGAg ran their offense very well and gave us fits in the process, but we just kept coming up with plays when we absolutely had to have them. The only exception being the 4th and goal from the 3 with 20 something seconds left.

The humpers came out and blocked the crap out of us and gutted us like a fish early on. One of the biggest fundamental errors, which happened repeatedly, especially in the first half, was that our DEs kept getting pushed inside. Either we would make inside moves and just get sealed in there, or we would allow ourselves to get hooked way too easy and driven in. That lack of outside leverage was exploited repeatedly by the pups. They gashed us taking run plays to the outside with the rest of our defenders in chase because of the void left by our DEs. It was just plain ugly and took way too long to fix. By the second half, at least we were getting some outside leverage and forcing guys into traffic.

Soon after the start of the game, we realized we were not stopping the run game without bringing numbers in the box. We did so and pinned our ears back as a defense. Although, it helped us get them slowed down on the run, it caused us to really struggle against the play action pass. Our guys were biting so hard on play action, and rightfully so given their early success on the ground, that we just couldn't cover their releasing inside receivers. They did what they do and gave us everything we could handle, and more, as a defense. Without a strong offensive effort on our part, I feel certain we were in for a long day on defense.

Upon reviewing the defensive replay, having to ffwd through our offensive series and half time etc, I realized something that was a massive detriment to their offensive flow. I really had to wait a long time to find another series for UGA offense at the middle phase of the ballgame. Think about it. We had a long time consuming drive to finish half one. Then halftime happened. Then we make another long drive coming out in half 2 only to have the goal line strip returned the other way for a score. Then we get the ball AGAIN and run a series before their offense ever saw the field. I don't have the exact time in actual minutes, but it was a long time. They never really seemed to get their edge back until their last drive of regulation. IMHO that was HUGE in terms of the outcome of the game in our favor.

While I don't think it was a great game for our defense overall, I have to give some MAJOR props for ALL our guys in the goal line phase of our play. We got lower than they did and we fired into them and just stymied their efforts to push us back. It was no accident, as we were successful down there several times getting them stopped. Without that effort with our butts on the goal line, this game ends a lot differently. We had obviously studied their tendencies and our safeties were in the right places to make great, well timed plays.

With all that said I would just like to add a few random observations.

Did anybody notice just how far Milton had to go to get Chubb knocked out at the 2 yard line on that long run? That was an amazing play that just bristled with MAXIMUM effort and AMAZING speed. He came from the oppsite side of the field on a dead sprint the whole way without the knowledge that he could even get there in time. He took the perfect angle and just went into "track form" for the pylon. He could have "mailed that in" at 90% and given up the TD and probably nobody on the planet would have noticed, but he didn't. We knock the ball out 2 plays later and the effort was rewarded.

Probably less spectacular, but still just as important, Nealy makes a dead sprint for the other pylon a little later, lays out fully horizontal and gets a whack on Michel's arm, popping the ball out before he could push it over the pylon. We recover and give up no points after giving up a drive.

Isaiah Johnson played really hard and was hitting people. It was his best game ever in my eyes.

I was pleased with the reserve LB play after Davis got his bell rung. Harrell, Hankins, and McNair all did really good things out there.

 

[boozinbuzz]

I believe UGAg had only 3 offensive possessions in the 2nd half.

 

[augustabuzz]

I had similar thoughts about Isaiah Johnson.

 

[alaguy]

I finally got to re-see the game.Still hard to believe some of what happened.uga has got to have a disgusted feeling but AGAIN we never gave up.
Boomer, you are right-those 2 goal-line plays were amazing.Milton channeled White on that catch-up play.

It looks like every game Roof has to be proven (except maybe clem) that his front 4 are not going to stop much so he finally goes to heat.My only real complaint later was the 4 LBs standing around in zone on their last drive.Then on goal-line they over-shifted OFF but we didn't on TD pass.
yes, it was nice to see with PDavis out we still got ok play.Gotsis again showed he is a factor to deal with -adding GOOD DE play will make him even much better..

Not defense but replay showed a WONDERFUL game by Deon Hill-catching and running.Would luv to have him back.
If Hunt-days isn't there we are going to hurt trying to stop there vs State 230 lb TB and huge QB--(Logan Thomas?-like).
If IJ hadn't completely whiffed on that long run in 1st Qtr,he would have played as well as possible a game to me.We will miss that 200+ lbs of stopping next yr i'm afraid.

 

[redmule]

Offense is execution. Defense is effort. The guys on defense turned up the effort after UNC, and it showed. Not saying they didn't play hard earlier, just they found that extra gear. They began to get big plays, turnovers, and stops, and it just grew. As an earlier poster said, we only gave up two second half TD's after UNC (one of those in trash time). An amazing statistic, and we played some decent offenses the last half. Showed good coaching adjustments, and good player skills to make those adjustments. Usually by late in the year, we are so beat up we are just hanging on by a thread. The defense flat out won the battles in the second half against Clemson, FSU, and uga. Teams with supposedly more depth and better players. Lucky on injuries, better conditioning, offense eating up the clock.

I have a lot of confidence that we will have a good offense next year. We will always have a good offense with CPJ. The question for the off season is, "Was this defense a fluke or the start of a trend?" We have almost everybody coming back (8 starters). If we pick up where we left off and build from there, we're going back to the Orange Bowl next year, but as a part of the playoffs. The FSU and uga games at Bobby Dodd will be epic.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

Offense is execution. Defense is effort. The guys on defense turned up the effort after UNC, and it showed. Not saying they didn't play hard earlier, just they found that extra gear. They began to get big plays, turnovers, and stops, and it just grew. As an earlier poster said, we only gave up two second half TD's after UNC (one of those in trash time). An amazing statistic, and we played some decent offenses the last half. Showed good coaching adjustments, and good player skills to make those adjustments. Usually by late in the year, we are so beat up we are just hanging on by a thread. The defense flat out won the battles in the second half against Clemson, FSU, and uga. Teams with supposedly more depth and better players. Lucky on injuries, better conditioning, offense eating up the clock.

I have a lot of confidence that we will have a good offense next year. We will always have a good offense with CPJ. The question for the off season is, "Was this defense a fluke or the start of a trend?" We have almost everybody coming back (8 starters). If we pick up where we left off and build from there, we're going back to the Orange Bowl next year, but as a part of the playoffs. The FSU and uga games at Bobby Dodd will be epic.

FSU scored 37 on us, our D wasn't exactly the '85 Bears. If not for a few late stops in the shadow of our own goal posts, they would have hung 50+. I'll give the D their due, just not that much due.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

FSU scored 37 on us, our D wasn't exactly the '85 Bears. If not for a few late stops in the shadow of our own goal posts, they would have hung 50+. I'll give the D their due, just not that much due.

I don't think there is an argument here, just making a specific point about the change in the defense.

After the UNC game Tech's defense played with even more intensity. I think that was his point and I tend to agree. The other point was that this defense has learned to make second half adjustments. Again, this seems to be true. Chubb had a great first half against Tech but virtually nothing in the second half. FSU did not score a touchdown in the second half.
I think the points he made are good points.

 

[Boomergump]

Offense is execution. Defense is effort. The guys on defense turned up the effort after UNC, and it showed. Not saying they didn't play hard earlier, just they found that extra gear. They began to get big plays, turnovers, and stops, and it just grew. As an earlier poster said, we only gave up two second half TD's after UNC (one of those in trash time). An amazing statistic, and we played some decent offenses the last half. Showed good coaching adjustments, and good player skills to make those adjustments. Usually by late in the year, we are so beat up we are just hanging on by a thread. The defense flat out won the battles in the second half against Clemson, FSU, and uga. Teams with supposedly more depth and better players. Lucky on injuries, better conditioning, offense eating up the clock.

I have a lot of confidence that we will have a good offense next year. We will always have a good offense with CPJ. The question for the off season is, "Was this defense a fluke or the start of a trend?" We have almost everybody coming back (8 starters). If we pick up where we left off and build from there, we're going back to the Orange Bowl next year, but as a part of the playoffs. The FSU and uga games at Bobby Dodd will be epic.

Having all those returners is GREAT.........BUT..........we simply have to get the DL fixed before we will ever be the kind of defense that is commensurate with our offense. This is what has to happen:

Freeman adds 25 LBS and a bunch of muscle
JHD becomes "all that" at the DT position
Gamble adds another 10-20 LBS and moves inside for good
Gotsis moves out to SDE
Whitehead proves to be an elite pass rusher on special downs
Kallon or some Frosh steps up to provide QUALITY depth.

If all this comes to fruition, we may see a huge leap on defense. If only part of it does, we might see modest growth. We simply have to be able to get some pressure without bringing 6 if we want to be good.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

If all this comes to fruition, we may see a huge leap on defense. If only part of it does, we might see modest growth. We simply have to be able to get some pressure without bringing 6 if we want to be good.

I'll settle for average and that's a step up from when I was hoping for just plain bad.

 

[jandrews]

Having all those returners is GREAT.........BUT..........we simply have to get the DL fixed before we will ever be the kind of defense that is commensurate with our offense. This is what has to happen:

Freeman adds 25 LBS and a bunch of muscle
JHD becomes "all that" at the DT position
Gamble adds another 10-20 LBS and moves inside for good
Gotsis moves out to SDE
Whitehead proves to be an elite pass rusher on special downs
Kallon or some Frosh steps up to provide QUALITY depth.

If all this comes to fruition, we may see a huge leap on defense. If only part of it does, we might see modest growth. We simply have to be able to get some pressure without bringing 6 if we want to be good.

Would love all these moves. Be great if we can blow out some opponents in the beginning of the year to get the second team and freshman some game experience. A majority of our issues with the DL is getting off blocks. A multitude of issues play into that. Gotta get stronger and gotta get smarter. Our gap integrity has to improve.

 

[redmule]

Having all those returners is GREAT.........BUT..........we simply have to get the DL fixed before we will ever be the kind of defense that is commensurate with our offense. This is what has to happen:

Freeman adds 25 LBS and a bunch of muscle
JHD becomes "all that" at the DT position
Gamble adds another 10-20 LBS and moves inside for good
Gotsis moves out to SDE
Whitehead proves to be an elite pass rusher on special downs
Kallon or some Frosh steps up to provide QUALITY depth.

If all this comes to fruition, we may see a huge leap on defense. If only part of it does, we might see modest growth. We simply have to be able to get some pressure without bringing 6 if we want to be good.

I don't think we will ever have a defense that is commensurate with our offense. That would mean a top 5 defense. The only way we will ever be top 5 is if the offense averages 40 minutes TOP. Could happen I guess. Maybe Ted has us in the top 15 in two or three years. But in some ways our offensive TOP may hurt the defense as our opponents know they are not going to get many possessions, so they go for the throat on each one.

We have almost always struggled on the DL. Remember 1990? Coleman Rudolph went about 250 and was an OLB the year before. Marlon Williams was a 210 lb freshman DE. Marco Coleman covered up a lot of deficiencies. That is what we can hope for next year, a special pass rusher (like Morgan or Sneezy) that makes everybody else better. I think Freeman has the best chance at becoming that, but Marcordes might be the one. Freeman might make Gotsis All American. O'Leary and to some extent Chan were very good at finding undersized lineman and growing them. We really really need that growth this offseason, and having 8 starters back improves our odds.

What I'm hoping for next year is what we saw the last half of this year: great effort, ball hawking, field goals rather than TD's, lots of people playing so we are healthy going into November.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

What I'm hoping for next year is what we saw the last half of this year: great effort, ball hawking, field goals rather than TD's, lots of people playing so we are healthy going into November.

Our D was the epitome of bend, don't break in the second half against FSU. Even after the muffed onsides kick, we had a chance to stop FSU on 3rd and 8 and outside field goal range. We knew they were gonna run but looked tentative with our DB's in run support for some reason. They got the first down on the ground and it was all she wrote. Imagine getting the ball back with under a minute only needing a field goal. Ugag all over again, but a fg wins!