Film Study - Offense vs Duke

[Boomergump]

I am sorry folks but this has been a very busy week. I will need to be brief. I actually had to watch this recording in pieces because I never had time to sit down all at once. When you combine that with my DVR running out because of the weather delay, I feel a little less prepared than usual. I only really saw 3/4 of the game.

Duke came out and played the Miami defense for the most part. They shallowed up some with the safeties and blitzed some A gaps once in a while, but for the most part it is what we have been seeing.

What can I say? I am disappointed in our kids, and not for the reasons you may think. We did make a lot of errors with the turnovers and we did fail to make some plays that were there. But that is not what has me bummed out. I just don't feel like the effort the guys gave was up to par. We didn't come off the ball hard, we couldn't get to people's legs, we didn't sustain blocks like we should half the time, we couldn't seem to cut them off on the backside, and we took the wrong guys (at least that is what it looked like to me) a few times too. Considering what was riding on the outcome, I am confused as to why this was so. Having an extra week off may have helped them get rested and work on defeating the cut blocks etc, but it isn't a magic elixir that makes them all world. They are not the best defense we have seen. They are pretty good, mind you, but we have faced better. Their team speed is improving and they played smart. They knew their assignments. You didn't see two guys taking the QB or pitch guy very often.

It wasn't just the OL. I don't think we blocked the edge that well either. Even Smelter didn't look like himself and he ALWAYS blocks like a beast.

Thank goodness we have a QB who can make plays by himself sometimes because that is what it took for us to sustain an offense Saturday. I say three guys played hard, Thomas, Laskey, and Days. The rest of them are not going to get a pass from me. It is hard to notice watching a game live, but it was crystal clear once I started watching the one-on-ones. Oh, we had some moments, and we did enough to move the ball a little at times, but I have seen this group come out stoked knocking people back. They are capable of more and we should expect more.

The one little ray of sunshine I took out of this tape is that we actually got some midline going in the second half, before we had to start throwing. It was very effective and it was read well by JT. At the time we sprung it on them, it was like a pitcher saving his change up for the later innings. Suddenly the DT was now unblocked and both ABs were plowing into the hole. JT got a good run out on one (right before the Laskey fumble when he limped back to the huddle) and Laskey had one of his better dives out of it too the next series. I'll bet we ran 5 or 6 of those plays (I wasn't counting).

Hope for better next week GT fans. We can't keep playing like that and win.

 

[4shotB]

What can I say? I am disappointed in our kids, and not for the reasons you may think. We did make a lot of errors with the turnovers and we did fail to make some plays that were there. But that is not what has me bummed out. I just don't feel like the effort the guys gave was up to par.

thanks as always. Two comments to add - I think what you saw was a combination of 2 things. First, I was worried about a letdown after the big Miami win, especially with a noon game. Some (maybe a few) teams can win with there "B" game but we are not one of them. Secondly, GT is not a program that mentally is prepared for success. For whatever reason, we are better as "underdogs" or "under the radar" or whatever. I realize that we were not large Vegas favorites against Duke but imo, whenever GT fans start talking about the rankings or ratings or why we should be ranked higher than so and so, that is usually a leading indicator of a loss.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

Thanks Boomer. I think Laskey said that Duke just wanted it more. Kind of depressing since the Duke game and it's importance (Coastal, home) should have had the players really psyched.

For 4shotB, I think most CFB programs exhibit the same inconsistent effort and win /loss trends as we do. Maybe these teams are also not prepared for success. I think it is more that there is a lot of parity in the middle of the pack (say 15th to 80th) and effort becomes the determining factor. I know that as a fan, I like being the underdog a lot more since the wins feel better and the losses are better explained. What Boomer laid out hurts a lot more than being beaten by a physically superior Miami team ...... lack of effort by most (but not all) of the team.

I still think the "reason" we lost was the four turnovers. But if we hadn't had them, we'd still have the lack of effort and may not have won.

 

[wingsrlevel]

Thanks Boomer. I think Laskey said that Duke just wanted it more. Kind of depressing since the Duke game and it's importance (Coastal, home) should have had the players really psyched.

For 4shotB, I think most CFB programs exhibit the same inconsistent effort and win /loss trends as we do. Maybe these teams are also not prepared for success. I think it is more that there is a lot of parity in the middle of the pack (say 15th to 80th) and effort becomes the determining factor. I know that as a fan, I like being the underdog a lot more since the wins feel better and the losses are better explained. What Boomer laid out hurts a lot more than being beaten by a physically superior Miami team ...... lack of effort by most (but not all) of the team.

I still think the "reason" we lost was the four turnovers. But if we hadn't had them, we'd still have the lack of effort and may not have won.

I think Nealy said they wanted it more. Laskey said they were flat. I doubt that Duke wanted it more than GT anyway. Just cliche' things that players say.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

I was a little rough on the guys a while back when I said motivation is totally on the SA. I still believe that, but I also believe it's hard to be "brick wall" ready each and every week. I mean, you can have the want to, but if you believe yourself superior to your opponent as I'm sure the majority of our guys did, it's really hard to drum up the emotion and energy that was evident prior to the Miami game. I'm sure they knew what was on the line, they just couldn't shake the "we'll win just because we're supposed to" mentality that's in the subconscious.

Football is a very demanding endeavor, most of you can attest to that. It demands the utmost attention on both fronts, the physical and mental. The mental part is huge and often overlooked. It's more than knowing where to go and what to do, it's also having the razor sharp focus to perform what you know when physically drained and mentally exhausted. The game tears you down. I doubt many of us, me included, realize what it takes to be at the very top of your game, every minute of every game. We had major lapses in both areas and we can't win when we do that.

 

[Yaller Jacket]

I think many of us saw this coming but somehow thought we would slip by. Team perception is like trying to turn a battleship. For now, Miami could come in 0-5 and Duke could come in 5-0 and the team -- and the fans for that matter -- would be up for the Miami game and not so much for Duke. I could tell from reading the boards there was little energy for Duke. I know the boards and the team are two different things, but I have found that the team attitude and the board attitude often match up. PJ said Monday night the team lacked energy, but he wasn't sure why. Well, I can tell you. Defending division champs or not, it was Duke.

 

[Boomergump]

Yeah, this kind of thing is hard to diagnose. It is not that we didn't try to do the right things. It just seemed across the board, that kids didn't give that little extra to really get into a guys legs instead of just make contact. That kind of thing. It just looked too easy for blue shirts to push down our heads and stay on their feet or get off our blocks after initial contact. There was very little finish to the individual actions, if you know what I mean.

 

[Enuratique]

From CPJ's comments at the call-in show, I think they may have been mentally fatigued from classes/exams, etc. Not trying to make excuses, but our players have to deal with a lot more than the factories/UNCheat...

 

[dressedcheeseside]

From CPJ's comments at the call-in show, I think they may have been mentally fatigued from classes/exams, etc. Not trying to make excuses, but our players have to deal with a lot more than the factories/UNCheat...

This is a HUGE point that is often overlooked. I've always meant to do a study of our record through the years in games directly following mid terms and finals. I bet it ain't great and it won't reflect opponent too much. The mind has to be fresh and rested just as much as the body to perform at peak levels (optimum focus and attention). It appeared we were way off the mark in this area in the Duke game.

 

[wuzjrbuzz]

Thanks, and too bad you missed the last few minutes with Byerly. Would have been interesting to get your take on that, especially the effort on all fronts. Sure, they were playing some prevent, but he just punished them on the ground and through the air. We get the onside kick, and who knows?

 

[GTech63]

Yeah, this kind of thing is hard to diagnose. It is not that we didn't try to do the right things. It just seemed across the board, that kids didn't give that little extra to really get into a guys legs instead of just make contact. That kind of thing. It just looked too easy for blue shirts to push down our heads and stay on their feet or get off our blocks after initial contact. There was very little finish to the individual actions, if you know what I mean.

I think our guys gave their best effort. They didn't come out that flat. Many factors added up and even with 4 turnovers to zero we were within two feet of taking the ball away on the last on side kick and getting victory out of defeat. I have always thought mid terms were a period where our teams seems to let down. As has been said, we have to go to class and take solid courses and take exams. That is difficult at Tech and then to have to prepare for what has become a quality opponent puts an extra burden on our guys mentally as well as physically.

I know we are supposed to play through bad officiating, but the no calls on holding, time and time again does play a factor in the out come. Our guys played hard and still came close thanks to Byerly's last minute heroics. The biggest issue I have with our play is the stupid off sides on that punt at the beginning of the game. Any lining up in the neutral zone anytime, anywhere, is not focusing and IMO is stupid. That is strictly on the player and nothing else is involved. Yes good teams play through it, but for any team it is deflating.

I will also say as a Monday morning QB, the coaches are paid to judge the effectiveness of the players during a game. IMO CPJ and QB coach failed in knowing JT5 had a bum ankle. CPJ should have moved on TB much earlier. Every player is going to say I can do it, especially one as determined and talented as JT5.

This is a new week and a challenge with an improved UNC cheater team.

Go Jackets!! Beat the 'Heels!!

 

[TechPhi97]

Yeah, this kind of thing is hard to diagnose. It is not that we didn't try to do the right things. It just seemed across the board, that kids didn't give that little extra to really get into a guys legs instead of just make contact. That kind of thing. It just looked too easy for blue shirts to push down our heads and stay on their feet or get off our blocks after initial contact. There was very little finish to the individual actions, if you know what I mean.

If we're honest with ourselves, we don't have the NFL talent like some schools that can walk on the field, not play their best and still pull out a victory against Big 5 opponents. I feel confident that we can take it to just about anyone, but I also know that we can't bring our best week in and week out. Even our last National Championship team tied UNC. There is a talent gap; it's OK to say that, recognizing that outsized effort and teamwork can beat talent, and if often does. To me, it's as simple as that - without players focused and energized we will struggle, and like you said we were flat. We have trouble with smaller school teams when we're flat, and you can't win a conference game if you're flat. I'm disappointed like you, because I feel that after two rousing victories we should have the motivation to put our throat on the rest of the conference. Alas, it seems we might have gotten a little full of ourselves and thought we could mail in a victory.

You can look at FSU; they've got great talent and have crept by some opponents when they didn't play their best. Every team, every year has some down games and doesn't play their best. Its then that you ultimately rely on talent to get you through.

 

[Longestday]

I know I had a hard time getting excited about the Duke game and even had to convince myself to go to the game with tickets, airfare, and room already booked. I thought Cutcliffe's remarks may have helped, but it was a stretch.

There was so much emotional energy already spent in the VT and Miami game for fans and players alike. I did not even have test like the SA. Emotional energy is sapped by test 100%.

Even with the way we played, with a bounce here or there we could have won. The bounces being all negative (say refs here), the turnovers (including the the offsides), and the drained emotional energy was too much. Did we get even one positive bounce?

 

[UgaBlows]

I can't remember any

 

[Declinometer]

Line up off sides on punt

3rd and 25 wheel route

1st drive second half fumble

That's all I got!

 

[dressedcheeseside]

I know I had a hard time getting excited about the Duke game and even had to convince myself to go to the game with tickets, airfare, and room already booked. I thought Cutcliffe's remarks may have helped, but it was a stretch.

There was so much emotional energy already spent in the VT and Miami game for fans and players alike. I did not even have test like the SA. Emotional energy is sapped by test 100%.

Even with the way we played, with a bounce here or there we could have won. The bounces being all negative (say refs here), the turnovers (including the the offsides), and the drained emotional energy was too much. Did we get even one positive bounce?

Laskeys td over the pylon could have been ruled ob. Still would have been 4th and goal from the 6 inch line.

 

[Longestday]

@GTech63 I am trying to hindsight the QB change and have a hard time determining where I would have made the change...

The closes spot is when JT was first injured as he looked hurt and not ready to go on the next play.

• In the second half, Laskey fumbled... not on JT
• Stopped for a missed field goal... I am not sure this is right, but he almost threw an interception here except that Smelter defended.
• Fist interception was after we moved all the way down field... Maybe we could have said it was because he cannot plant his foot and changed out...
• The second interception, it was time and that was when the change was made.

Other than knowing the score at the end, I am not sure there was any indication that a change needed to be made before the change was made... except on the play he was hurt and we made a TD that series.

 

[alaguy]

I am sorry folks but this has been a very busy week. I will need to be brief. I actually had to watch this recording in pieces because I never had time to sit down all at once. When you combine that with my DVR running out because of the weather delay, I feel a little less prepared than usual. I only really saw 3/4 of the game.

Duke came out and played the Miami defense for the most part. They shallowed up some with the safeties and blitzed some A gaps once in a while, but for the most part it is what we have been seeing.

What can I say? I am disappointed in our kids, and not for the reasons you may think. We did make a lot of errors with the turnovers and we did fail to make some plays that were there. But that is not what has me bummed out. I just don't feel like the effort the guys gave was up to par. We didn't come off the ball hard, we couldn't get to people's legs, we didn't sustain blocks like we should half the time, we couldn't seem to cut them off on the backside, and we took the wrong guys (at least that is what it looked like to me) a few times too. Considering what was riding on the outcome, I am confused as to why this was so. Having an extra week off may have helped them get rested and work on defeating the cut blocks etc, but it isn't a magic elixir that makes them all world. They are not the best defense we have seen. They are pretty good, mind you, but we have faced better. Their team speed is improving and they played smart. They knew their assignments. You didn't see two guys taking the QB or pitch guy very often.

It wasn't just the OL. I don't think we blocked the edge that well either. Even Smelter didn't look like himself and he ALWAYS blocks like a beast.

Thank goodness we have a QB who can make plays by himself sometimes because that is what it took for us to sustain an offense Saturday. I say three guys played hard, Thomas, Laskey, and Days. The rest of them are not going to get a pass from me. It is hard to notice watching a game live, but it was crystal clear once I started watching the one-on-ones. Oh, we had some moments, and we did enough to move the ball a little at times, but I have seen this group come out stoked knocking people back. They are capable of more and we should expect more.

The one little ray of sunshine I took out of this tape is that we actually got some midline going in the second half, before we had to start throwing. It was very effective and it was read well by JT. At the time we sprung it on them, it was like a pitcher saving his change up for the later innings. Suddenly the DT was now unblocked and both ABs were plowing into the hole. JT got a good run out on one (right before the Laskey fumble when he limped back to the huddle) and Laskey had one of his better dives out of it too the next series. I'll bet we ran 5 or 6 of those plays (I wasn't counting).

Hope for better next week GT fans. We can't keep playing like that and win.

Boomer,
You are dead-on. We had a uM hangover.I knew acting like the M game was winning the super bowl we had to have letdown.dook had an extra wk and they were ready.I had said a couple of TOs would kill us and --bingo.
Our Def is not good enough for our Off to not play VERY well.The effort was not there.JT was flat TIRED even in the first half from just making regular plays.I hate to say it but Braun was a perfect example of" effectiveness lack" I noticed in a 1st half play when he pulled to trap the opposite DE or Dt, .Braun got stoned /stopped at the line by the guy no bigger than he for sure. -it was a 3ed down play also.
The mental mistake on the punt offside was another quick example of the problems.
The energy JT had to put out contributed to the 2nd half ints.He is not a good passer overall and any problems exacerbates that.
The mental mista

 

[dressedcheeseside]

Boomer,
You are dead-on. We had a uM hangover.I knew acting like the M game was winning the super bowl we had to have letdown.dook had an extra wk and they were ready.I had said a couple of TOs would kill us and --bingo.
Our Def is not good enough for our Off to not play VERY well.The effort was not there.JT was flat TIRED even in the first half from just making regular plays.I hate to say it but Braun was a perfect example of" effectiveness lack" I noticed in a 1st half play when he pulled to trap the opposite DE or Dt, .Braun got stoned /stopped at the line by the guy no bigger than he for sure. -it was a 3ed down play also.
The mental mistake on the punt offside was another quick example of the problems.
The energy JT had to put out contributed to the 2nd half ints.He is not a good passer overall and any problems exacerbates that.
The mental mista

Eh, we could have won with our B game. Unfortunately we gave our D game. We've won a game or two this year w/o our A game.

 

[Declinometer]

Boomer,
You are dead-on. We had a uM hangover.I knew acting like the M game was winning the super bowl we had to have letdown.dook had an extra wk and they were ready.I had said a couple of TOs would kill us and --bingo.
Our Def is not good enough for our Off to not play VERY well.The effort was not there.JT was flat TIRED even in the first half from just making regular plays.I hate to say it but Braun was a perfect example of" effectiveness lack" I noticed in a 1st half play when he pulled to trap the opposite DE or Dt, .Braun got stoned /stopped at the line by the guy no bigger than he for sure. -it was a 3ed down play also.
The mental mistake on the punt offside was another quick example of the problems.
The energy JT had to put out contributed to the 2nd half ints.He is not a good passer overall and any problems exacerbates that.
The mental mista

Pregame Miami pep talk was premature as I said before.