Film Study - Offense vs Clemson

[AE 87]

I just cannot believe that the current offensive line has totally forgotten how to play. Our guys look and act confused. I could be wrong but I truly think we are seeing something different with the change of looks and constant run blitzing. There are some rumors of locker room issues. This makes sense to me if we are confused or not sure how to handle the assignment.
I want to say I am not knocking CPJ. I think he is one of the true offensive geniuses in college football today. Because of this my expectations are that he can adjust our scheme and run a set that puts our true freshman is a position to be successful. That is my real frustration, I think he should have already figured this out.
My guess is we get well this weekend and see some wrinkles that help us get our offense restarted. I expect the same thing on the defensive side.

Fwiw, I fear our problems are beyond scheme adjustment. Something must be up for us to look like this while getting beat like an FCS team on a short week.

When a coach with 30+ years experience says that he's never seen it this bad, it is what it is.

 

[upwgdrb]

I have some questions for Boomer and Longestday

1. It appears that the defenses we oppose are doing something different with shifting formations and using a heavy blitz scheme. Is this true? Or we actually seeing something that we have seem before?
2. There are several comments from lineman saying they are confused. Is there a good reason for this? In the Orange Bowl it appeared we were doing more drive blocking? Is that true and have we moved away from that this year?
3 . There have been rumblings in the past that our offense does have a tell. It really looked like that at Clemson. Is there any validity to this?
Thanks In advance for your replies.

 

[Boomergump]

I have some questions for Boomer and Longestday

1. It appears that the defenses we oppose are doing something different with shifting formations and using a heavy blitz scheme. Is this true? Or we actually seeing something that we have seem before?
2. There are several comments from lineman saying they are confused. Is there a good reason for this? In the Orange Bowl it appeared we were doing more drive blocking? Is that true and have we moved away from that this year?

Thanks In advance for your replies.

I didn't see anything different in terms of blitzing gaps etc. We have been playing against that forever. They lined up like most teams we play. There were some late line shifts and late blitz adjustments by the defense to react to our pre-snap direction calls. I am not sure what was tipping them off, whether it was signals, body language, tendencies or what. I don't know why our guys are confused. I am hoping somebody can tell me.

 

[stylee]

Part of it is our A-Backs are telegraphing the motion, IMO. It's really painful to watch.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

TaQuan is moving to QB...this spring. CPJ has all but said it.

Until then, he is more valuable at AB, and Jordan is more valuable at QB given the Byerly situation. Taquan hasn't even gotten a snap in practice at QB, and at this stage of the season, it's not a possibility unless our QB numbers is wrecked...and no one wants that.

MJ is worth nothing at QB if we don't develop him and use him.

A question for @Boomergump or others; Does it seem that JT is running with less lean than he did last year, e.g. more standing? I think that is part of what I have seen .........

 

[gtg936g]

@stylee does it look to you that the pitch relationship is off as well? The AB seem to be way too deep when they catch the pitch, and then they don't get north/south.

I honestly think we have lost some physical and mental toughness. IMO we played tougher defenses last year but we rarely got pushed around in the interior. If we cannot be physical on the interior and maintain leverage, we are in trouble.

After rewatching, I think JT is pretty banged up. He has carried the ball a lot and just does not look 100% to me.

The reason I keep advocating getting Jordan on the field is that he is tough and knows where to go. He is a good player at QB and at AB. I am in no way saying he should play over JT, but I just don't see keeping a good, tough player that knows the offense on the sidelines at this point. I honestly think having MJ out there at AB would help JT play better at QB, because there would be someone out there he trusts to block or carry the ball.

It took a long time for our ABs last year to be good. Most we buried in the depth chart until there senior year.

 

[gtg936g]

Let me clarify one point I was trying to make such that it is not misunderstood. When I say mentally/physically tough, I mean that we seem to be playing as though we are afraid to make a mistake rather than playing loose and ready to knock the defender into the next county.

Our guys have heart, good character, and talent. I would still rather be a GT fan than any other. I hope we come out Saturday and ready to have some fun. Be ready to play Pitt harder than we ever have, and just let the chips fall where they may.

 

[Longestday]

There was not much difference in the offensive scoring 2014 versus 2015 for the Clemson game. 2014 was a defensive victory.

Think 2013 and Vad running for his life at times. JT is experiencing more of this type of pressure. JT cannot do it all. JT is still the man he was in 2014 (although I agree with others on a cut and go).

New skill players are playing into the issue and they need time to develop. As good as our new recruits are, there is no way we have first year starters that would beat out 4 to 5th year seniors. The bright side is that MM looked really good for a true freshman.

There seems to be too much thought going into reading the defense and that reading looks to be causing confusion. Clemson was too loud to be doing to many checks at the line. The checks might be giving some things away.

Still having issues getting the MLB and that is the key. I love it when we use the center to block the DT and send the guard out to the MLB, but I think this only happens with the right DT positions.

Pulling blocking needs a lot of work. Go look at the following and see crisp pull blocking and the BB taking the right "hole".

 

[Skeptic]

Anyone else notice how bad the ABs' motion looks?

Half of the time, we look like a bad high school flexbone team because our AB motion is too early, too slow, and to the wrong spot.

Might that be a function of losing so many to graduation, then so many to injuries, and those playing now have been given very few actual reps of the plays they run? Or does it suggest something deeper than that? (As if that weren't deep enough.)

 

[dressedcheeseside]

TaQuan is moving to QB...this spring. CPJ has all but said it.

Until then, he is more valuable at AB, and Jordan is more valuable at QB given the Byerly situation. Taquan hasn't even gotten a snap in practice at QB, and at this stage of the season, it's not a possibility unless our QB numbers is wrecked...and no one wants that.

I wonder if this move speaks volumes about the prospects of Jalen ever playing?

 

[dressedcheeseside]

Might that be a function of losing so many to graduation, then so many to injuries, and those playing now have been given very few actual reps of the plays they run? Or does it suggest something deeper than that? (As if that weren't deep enough.)

YES, the first part is what I've been harping on since spring. Then add the second part and you get what we got, keystone cops.

 

[Techster]

MJ is worth nothing at QB if we don't develop him and use him.

Agree 100%. I had the exact same stance in a "discussion" about our backup QB situation over the offseason. At the time, yes we had Byerly, but we also have to look at 2016 and beyond. In twist of bad luck/good luck...we may get Byerly back for 2016.

The silver lining of the Byerly situation is that at least MJ is running 2nd team and some 1st team during the week as opposed to running AB or 3rd string reps. That's the thing about being a coach. You have to balance winning with player development.

 

[Techster]

I wonder if this move speaks volumes about the prospects of Jalen ever playing?

That, and some other things. Inability to sign a top level QB or develop a QB to their standards. When Vad and JeT were redshirting, we heard some glowing things about them. We haven't gotten that with the guys waiting in the wings right now. I made the argument in a couple of recruiting threads that given the nature of the QBs we sign, it's important for us to sign 1-2 every year because not all QBs work out the way you think, or they don't develop how you hope. No different than QBs for any other offense. The more you sign, the odds are in your favor...that's just statistics. But the benefit of the QBs we sign is if they don't work out, they can play other positions.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

That, and some other things. Inability to sign a top level QB or develop a QB to their standards. When Vad and JeT were redshirting, we heard some glowing things about them. We haven't gotten that with the guys waiting in the wings right now. I made the argument in a couple of recruiting threads that given the nature of the QBs we sign, it's important for us to sign 1-2 every year because not all QBs work out the way you think, or they don't develop how you hope. No different than QBs for any other offense. The more you sign, the odds are in your favor...that's just statistics. But the benefit of the QBs we sign is if they don't work out, they can play other positions.

QB is so tough to recruit, we really got lucky with JT. If they're a true dual threat 4 or 5* guy, there are plenty of factory schools that run spread. If they're great athletes like JT, but small, the factories sign them on defense. They tell them if they want the NFL, they better switch.

 

[Techster]

QB is so tough to recruit, we really got lucky with JT. If they're a true dual threat 4 or 5* guy, there are plenty of factory schools that run spread. If they're great athletes like JT, but small, the factories sign them on defense. They tell them if they want the NFL, they better switch.

Yup...agree 100%. That's why GT needs to take a "safety in numbers" approach to recruiting QBs. I think CPJ has...it's just the some of the guys he's recruited opted to play elsewhere (Vad Lee, Ty Griffin). Our depth at QB and ability for guys like MJ to play AB looks far different with either Lee or Griffin backing them up. Heck, Griffin was a candidate to play other positions when he was here and everyone thought that his future was non-QB.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

Yup...agree 100%. That's why GT needs to take a "safety in numbers" approach to recruiting QBs. I think CPJ has...it's just the some of the guys he's recruited opted to play elsewhere (Vad Lee, Ty Griffin). Our depth at QB and ability for guys like MJ to play AB looks far different with either Lee or Griffin backing them up. Heck, Griffin was a candidate to play other positions when he was here and everyone thought that his future was non-QB.

Still wonder if AJ Gray gets a look in spring?

 

[Yaller Jacket]

why does theory not work in reverse? In other words, what can our D do to confuse the other team's O? And why don't we do it? I know some of you gentlemen are more X and O savvy than myself, so I'll hang up and listen.

It certainly seems effective against us. Maybe something about the TO makes it more effective against us. I dunno. I'm sure Ted has thought it over. Maybe some of the Xs and Os guys will discuss.

 

[Techster]

Still wonder if AJ Gray gets a look in spring?

No. He's too established on D now (in terms of already being an impact player there). I think a poster who's pretty plugged into AJ's camp has noted on multiple occassions that AJ wants to play D because he knows he has the ability to get to the next level as a DB. AJ would play QB if the staff asked him to because that's the kind of kid he is, but his preference is DB.

 

[IronJacket7]

I think calling a play and going with it may be the best option at the moment. Hard to play with fire when you are uncertain.

^This

 

[katlong]

There was not much difference in the offensive scoring 2014 versus 2015 for the Clemson game. 2014 was a defensive victory.

I think also, if you go back and look at this point in the season in 2014, while we did put Ws on the board when this year there are more Ls, we weren't really playing all that fantastic at the start of the season. The offense might have had a greater ability to come to life be successful than maybe we do this year due to injuries and young players, but don't forget that this time last year, we almost lost to GA Southern, lost to UNC and Duke, and really only won against VT because of their own self-destruction and youth. We ended up with a great season and a great team. We have more Ls this year so far, which will keep the overall record from being a great season, but this offense takes some work to "gel" and so sometimes we are slow starters. Still, I wouldn't have it any other way. To me, this offense is the right strategy for Tech - it evens the playing field out and is exciting to watch, especially when we execute correctly.

JT is a fantastic athlete and QB - lots of things are not working for him this year (and one in my opinion is not having TB as backup, just in case and for the short yardage plays, although CPJ rarely takes his main QB out). I look forward to seeing these young guys figure it out over the course of this season and next!

GO JACKETS!