Film Study Film Study - Offense vs Alcorn St

[Yaller Jacket]

Once again, Boomer, your analyses are a wonderful bonus to this board.

I wondered why in the early going some of our wide plays were so poorly blocked. We made some nice gains purely on the speed and athleticism of our backs. But knowing how the defense was lining up makes it make sense.

Only time will tell if the A back blocking will come along, but it's good to know the starting receivers are getting the job done.

I love the fact that we have bona fide pass receivers at the A position. That has always seemed like a great opportunity to exploit when the talent is there. Positions which block or run on most plays are easy to lose track of when they are out in a pass pattern. With the improvement in pass blocking in recent years, this could be big as we get deeper into the schedule.

 

[slugboy]

How about on defense--I'm wondering about the linebackers in pass coverage, and shedding blocks, the dbs in the right coverages with the right reads, taking good angles, and the front four. How'd they look?

 

[Essobee]

I have no idea. I'm not that close to the program. Regardless, giving him time this year is not that important, or at least, not more important than making sure Timmy gets snaps THIS year. You never know, we may need Byerly to play a lot. Gotta play for now. You know what I mean?

Absolutely I know what you mean and it makes good sense, except both JT and Tim both sat for several possessions in the second half and I didn't think that the sub that played QB was the heir apparent to Byerly. Now that I think about it, however, whoever takes over as the second team QB next season should get enough game experience to help him along when JT graduates.

 

[danny daniel]

How about on defense--I'm wondering about the linebackers in pass coverage, and shedding blocks, the dbs in the right coverages with the right reads, taking good angles, and the front four. How'd they look?

IMO from the nose bleed north stands: Alcorn went 3 and out against our starters due mainly to poor throws and dropped passes. There was more action against the backups where the top two tacklers in the game were backup DBs (C Griffin and L Griffin), not the group I want to lead the D in tackles. It did look like Golden was very focused and Milton played tighter coverage. Else to me was same-o same-o. The starters did not get enough challenging snaps to guage very much.

 

[Skeptic]

I have to disagree with this. People put far too much emphasis on ball security vs running ability. Everyone loves death marches but 1 play drives have a lot of big advantages over 10 play drives. Most notably is that it is 9 plays where you aren't risking a bad snap, bad mesh, bad read, bad pass, bad blocking, fumble, int, or penalty potentially derailing the drie. Being a home run threat is more than just the big plays and the points. It's also the prevention of opportunities to make mistakes, either from the BBack, or anyone else on the team.

Making mistakes is bad, but playing, or coaching, in fear of making them is too.

I'm sure Johnson wants nobody playing scared, but he's made it clear: there is no excuse for a fumble, none, and if you fumble you don't play until you stop fumbling. Most coaches think that, though. They take fumbles a lot more seriously than you do, and Marshall making a couple in a really big game could end it all.

 

[Skeptic]

Another good synopsis, Boomer. I remember you commenting on the A back recruits and redshirts in the spring, and they surely showed some bursts and athleticism Thursday night. Can't wait to see them about mid-season or so.

 

[lv20gt]

I'm sure Johnson wants nobody playing scared, but he's made it clear: there is no excuse for a fumble, none, and if you fumble you don't play until you stop fumbling. Marshall making a couple in a really big game could end it all.

And that mentality is exactly how you end up with Days getting 16 carries in the first 7 games. And we don't have the year we had last year if Days is getting 2 carries a game the entire year. The ability to hit the homerun is every bit as essential to the bback spot as the ability to consistently get 3 yards. Marshall could end it all with a fumble, but his playmaking ability from the bback spot will be required for us to have a season that we want to.

 

[Skeptic]

And that mentality is exactly how you end up with Days getting 16 carries in the first 7 games. And we don't have the year we had last year if Days is getting 2 carries a game the entire year. The ability to hit the homerun is every bit as essential to the bback spot as the ability to consistently get 3 yards. Marshall could end it all with a fumble, but his playmaking ability from the bback spot will be required for us to have a season that we want to.

Actually I am pretty sure Days was sitting because Laskey outplayed him, but I'm not the coach so I don't know. Try telling Mark Richt that fumbles are the price of good ball toting -- two sure TDs fumbled away on the goal line -- and Paul Johnson, who in the same game saw a 14-point swing on a fumble that wasn't but in the books is, and then another that gave Georgia a chance to go ahead very late, requiring a miracle finish. Or for that matter all the way back to FSU on '08, or was it '09? when Cooper knocked it loose as they were about to score the winning TD. It is a fairly rare occurrence that a fumble does not hurt a team in some way, and I've never read of or heard of a coach saying he would take fumbles as the price of running hard. That's about all a running back has to hear. But, that's just me.

 

[ilovetheoption]

And that mentality is exactly how you end up with Days getting 16 carries in the first 7 games. And we don't have the year we had last year if Days is getting 2 carries a game the entire year. The ability to hit the homerun is every bit as essential to the bback spot as the ability to consistently get 3 yards. Marshall could end it all with a fumble, but his playmaking ability from the bback spot will be required for us to have a season that we want to.

I hear what you're saying, but I don't agree. That said, I'm far from an expert

 

[00Burdell]

Boomer - can't say enough about how your analysis adds to my understanding and appreciation of our offense and defense.

Much obliged as usual.

 

[lv20gt]

Actually I am pretty sure Days was sitting because Laskey outplayed him, but I'm not the coach so I don't know. Try telling Mark Richt that fumbles are the price of good ball toting -- two sure TDs fumbled away on the goal line -- and Paul Johnson, who in the same game saw a 14-point swing on a fumble that wasn't but in the books is, and then another that gave Georgia a chance to go ahead very late, requiring a miracle finish.

Easy to outplay the guy that wasn't getting more than 2 carries a games. Once Days got a chance, he showed the difference and never relinquished the starting role. And okay, now ask Richt who his starting RB is? Pretty sure it's still Chubb despite the fumble. Ask Johnson who his starting QB is? Pretty sure it's still Thomas despite both fumbles. Let's go back to 2008 then. Who finished 2nd in the nation in fumbles? Nesbitt. Who was still GT's starter the next year? Yup. Still Nesbitt. And who led the nation in fumbles in 2009. By alot. Yup. Nesbitt. And who was still GT's starter in 2010? Yup. Still Nesbitt. And he still finished 5th in the nation in fumbles despite not playing the entire season.

Johnson has also said that he will play the best 11 guys. And if he sticks to that, Marshall will be on the field a lot. Fumbles or not.

 

[JacketFromUGA]

CPJ has never been abashed at playing more than 1 BB. He has consistently said its the position not the player. The position will get over 1k yards so on and so on. If he has 2 good B-Backs he's going to play both at times they are good at.

You guys are putting way too much into this retroactive Laskey vs Days and current Skov vs Marshal arguments. Both have strengths. Both will play. Both will hopefully help carry us to a W.

 

[GTL]

CPJ has never been abashed at playing more than 1 BB. He has consistently said its the position not the player. The position will get over 1k yards so on and so on. If he has 2 good B-Backs he's going to play both at times they are good at.

You guys are putting way too much into this retroactive Laskey vs Days and current Skov vs Marshal arguments. Both have strengths. Both will play. Both will hopefully help carry us to a W.

PJ will start Skov who will punish severely the d line and backers. Then...middle of the 3 Q....Marshall comes in and he's by those poor, beat up, linemen and backers with big yardage and in the end zone before they can turn around.

I can't wait.

 

[gtg936g]

I think Skov is probably solid at the starter spot. He understands how to read the defense better than Marshall at this point. That is key in knowing who to block.

 

[orientalnc]

As an athlete for most of my years, I can honestly say everyone plays to their opponents. We knew this was a mismatch, and the focus was very specific to each player's personal goals. My view is that we have nine days until Tulane, another mismatch. We have plenty of time to find the right technique and plays for our guys. Go Jackets!

 

[zhavenor]

Easy to outplay the guy that wasn't getting more than 2 carries a games. Once Days got a chance, he showed the difference and never relinquished the starting role. And okay, now ask Richt who his starting RB is? Pretty sure it's still Chubb despite the fumble. Ask Johnson who his starting QB is? Pretty sure it's still Thomas despite both fumbles. Let's go back to 2008 then. Who finished 2nd in the nation in fumbles? Nesbitt. Who was still GT's starter the next year? Yup. Still Nesbitt. And who led the nation in fumbles in 2009. By alot. Yup. Nesbitt. And who was still GT's starter in 2010? Yup. Still Nesbitt. And he still finished 5th in the nation in fumbles despite not playing the entire season.

Johnson has also said that he will play the best 11 guys. And if he sticks to that, Marshall will be on the field a lot. Fumbles or not.

If Days was not playing B back because of fumbling then he certainly would not have been playing A back and in the usually rotation. Which I'm thinking you don't remember. Do you? The 2 carries he was getting per game was as an A back.

 

[AE 87]

If Days was not playing B back because of fumbling then he certainly would not have been playing A back and in the usually rotation. Which I'm thinking you don't remember. Do you? The 2 carries he was getting per game was as an A back.

This discussion was held in another thread. Sometimes a mind is made up regardless.

 

[forensicbuzz]

If Days was not playing B back because of fumbling then he certainly would not have been playing A back and in the usually rotation. Which I'm thinking you don't remember. Do you? The 2 carries he was getting per game was as an A back.

Days had a bad habit of putting the ball on the ground early in his career. This was a problem with him as a QB and as an A-Back early. He also wasn't a great blocker early in his change to A-Back. This kept him off the field early. He improved in both areas tremendously, and therefore saw a great deal of PT.

 

[lv20gt]

If Days was not playing B back because of fumbling then he certainly would not have been playing A back and in the usually rotation. Which I'm thinking you don't remember. Do you? The 2 carries he was getting per game was as an A back.

I don't remember because you're not telling the truth. I went back and found all of his runs in the first 7 games. The runs were as follows.

Wofford: All 5 runs were from Bback.
Tulane: Only run was a dive
GSU: Both runs on dives
VT: Finally a pitch from the A back.
Miami: 3 carries, all dives.
Duke: only run was a dive
UNC: 3 pitches from a back.

So the breakdown was 4 runs from A back, 12 from Bback.

 

[zhavenor]

I don't remember because you're not telling the truth. I went back and found all of his runs in the first 7 games. The runs were as follows.

Wofford: All 5 runs were from Bback.
Tulane: Only run was a dive
GSU: Both runs on dives
VT: Finally a pitch from the A back.
Miami: 3 carries, all dives.
Duke: only run was a dive
UNC: 3 pitches from a back.

So the breakdown was 4 runs from A back, 12 from Bback.

Sorry about that I stand corrected. What are you trying to say then? That CPJ was not playing him at the beginning of last year because of fumbling? My point was that if fumbling was truly the issue he would not have played at all.